


St. Lucy

by Eccentric_Bambi



Category: Dir en grey, MEJIBRAY, the GazettE, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Angst, Blood and Violence, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Cults, Demons, Eventual Smut, Existential Crisis, F/M, Ghosts, Haunting, Immortality, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Major Original Character(s), Minor Character Death, Multi, Mystery, Original Character(s), Paranoia, Paranormal, Psychological Horror, Religious Conflict, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Revenge, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Srsly i have a feeling ill be on this for a while, Survival Horror, Violence, angel of death - Freeform, taekook, yoonmin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-17 22:13:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 37
Words: 128,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11860677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eccentric_Bambi/pseuds/Eccentric_Bambi
Summary: Everything seemed like rainbows and sunshine to the naked eye.Life was dull and dreary, yet safe.Things seemed to be going Uruha's way with this new job. But life had a funny way of sayingthat Uruha had no business trying to be normal.Not after he meets those certain patients from the third floor.Welcome to St. Lucy's Institution for Mental Health and Abandoned Children.It'll make you see things that aren't always what they seem to be.*ON INDEFINITE/TEMPORARY HIATUS *





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> IS ANYONE AS HYPED ABOUT THE NEW CONCEPTS AS I AM??

Today was a day like usual. Get up in the mornings wondering why you were alive. Get ready for a job you hate but need to survive. All to please the great machine... But I suppose there are greater evils in this world.

Looking out the window next to my bed proved quite the task every morning I have been here. Seeing a huge hulking structure like that gave me shivers.

The St. Lucy's Goddess Institution for Mental Health and Orphanage for Abandoned Children... In other words the creepiest asylum I have seen in my life. It was huge, an easy seventeen square miles of land conquered by this building that was built hundreds of years ago. There was the main section, built with five gigantic floors and a bell tower right in the middle. On either side were two three story wings meant to house normal patients. It was the main section that was what worried me. The third and fourth floors houses the worst of the worst. From what I heard already, despite having not yet set foot inside myself, it was in... Severe dire straits. They were understaffed and over populated with more and more patients coming in every week.

Killers, rapists, thieves, just all around the spectrum of evil one could imagine.

Even worse. A cathedral meant to house over two hundred people sat dangerously close to the asylum itself. Only the nuns, myself, and the children were meant to use it.

And that was why I was here in the first place. The only psychiatrist in a thousand mile radius. Or so I was told...

At least my dormitory building was nice on the inside. My room looked like a hotel room, a giant king sized bed with plain but satin grey sheets and a white comforter sat on the opposite side of the twenty foot squared room. A fireplace was nestled not too far away next to three satin red couches. The color schemes of the walls were grey and white. A plain wooden cross sat above my bed. Typical for a convent member who had no business being here.

This place still bothered me. It was so dark and cold here all the time. Even now as I stand and attempt to look outside, my hands are shivering, even with the coffee cup clasped tightly in my fingers. Fog shrouded the windows every day of the week. Every hour. Every minute. The sight of it was maddening. Watching it cling to my dormitory windows as I tried to see past the bars only served to irritate me more. I know there was a forest just a hundred yards on the left from my window. And a mountain unnamed lay in the far off distance behind the nightmarish structure.

Its only been a week and I am already tired of seeing nothing and feeling nothing.

Doctor Kouyou Takashima. I thought it had a ring to it at first. It was exciting to finally leave after I don't even know how many years of being in the psychology department and receiving my PH.d in Psychiatric disorders and Mental disabilities. I've been doing this since I was nineteen... Its been close to eight years I believe.

Not to mention I was already a clergy member for three years. A fully certified priest of the Catholic church mean to serve God... Kind of hypocritical of me I think. Its been a while since I believed in anything other than life or death. Maybe I joined hoping to rekindle my beliefs from childhood. So far though, nothing has happened aside from false hope and many useless blessings in houses and on objects.

Was this where I imagined myself to be so long ago? I doubt it. I'm sure if my kid self knew he would be stick in a giant asylum for the next two years he would desperately throw a fit. There wasn't even cell service here. Just a landline that was, at best, static and white noise.

"Excuse me? Father are you in there?"

A muffled female voice chirped at me from behind the giant wooden door to my room. A nurse I am guessing, or one of the nuns that worked as caretakers for the children's wing.

What did they want now?

"Come in dear," I answer and sit at the desk next to my bed, opening the laptop that sat there gathering dust. The door opens and I hear soft footsteps as the woman comes inside and closed the door. "What Do you need?"

This woman was young. Far too young to be so set in this life, in my opinion. She appeared to be only twenty or twenty one years of age if my intuition was correct. A nurse's outfit was snug around her as a veil cradled her head as long black hair cascaded down her back.

"Father," she begins quietly, timidly even. "Mass is in half an hour. Would you like to be escorted to the main hall to meet the children? The rest of your schedule also needs to be situated with the Pastor as well."

Well... I suppose actively meeting with them could help lift my spirits...

"Well," I started with a sigh. "Its better than moping around here all day. Why not?"

She smiled at me and bowed her head.

"Very good, Father. I will allow you to get dressed first and we can get going."

Without another word she leaves, leaving me to my own devices yet again. Oh well. I wasn't sure I could handle looking at nothing for much longer. The laptop barely boots to life before I have to close it again.

"Father... Sounds weird to me, even now."

I just wish that it didn't make me feel so guilty.


	2. Waterworks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added A fun cameo for one of my friends. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Mass was a bore. As always. Two hours of nonstop droning and lectures, most of which I'd never been so in disagreement with in my life. The gospels I could recite by heart but chose not to were every bit as dull as I remember.

Which was why as soon as I finished handing out communion alongside the young girl from this morning with the wine I was out of the door faster than I thought I could be. It was so stuffy in there I couldn't even stand it...

"Father Takashima! Please wait!" A light voice called out. "I need to speak with you!"

Her again. What is it with the people wanting my attention all the time?

'Fake smile. Fake smile. Fake smile...'

"Yes?" I asked and turned to face her. "Did the Pastor wish to speak with me?"

Now that I noticed her, She was clearly foreign as well. Not at all Japanese like me or the young children inside. Soft pale skin and bright wide blue eyes gave away her clearly western genes. Surprised she isn't blonde or at least similar to that...

She smiled at me and clasped her hands together.

"Pastor Williams said I should take you on a tour of the Institution, it could help to ease your nerves of being the new face around here and what you will expect to see over your time working with the patients."

A tour huh... Did that mean I have to see the patients I was to work with sooner rather than later? I am not sure if I can handle that... But if I must then... Then I must.

"Well, that sounds lovely miss... I'm sorry I did not catch your name."

She beamed even brighter, a dusty pink blush covering her cheeks.

"Josephine," she answered. "Sister Josephine. I am the resident medical assistant in the Children's ward, and the tour giver here at St. Lucy's."

Well, that was too nice a name for someone as nice as her. I could see that her eyes wanted to give off happiness and complacency but... i could now sense a bit of underlying urgency and sadness. Did this place get it's hooks into her already? Maybe I can help her somehow since I don't plan on being here all that long.

"It's nice to meet you, Josephine."

Instead of continuing on with the tour, she smiled at me, this time coyly.

"I bet you're wondering how a foreigner like me ended up in a place like this?"

I shrugged. Admittedly the thought had crossed my mind once or twice.

"Well I am not one to pry in the lives of strangers," I answered. "That is all up to them."

"It's quite all right," she says with a small shake of her head. "I like to tell the story sometimes. I was born here actually, my mother is one of the nuns in charge of the children you saw in the church. It was because of her that I wanted to become a sister and help the poor kids. I feel like it's my calling, you know?"

Ah, so she lived here her whole life? I could not even imagine... The very thought made me want to run away as far as I could. But I have to hide it right now.

"Well, Sister Josephine," I answer back just as politely. "You can simply call me Doctor Takashima, no need for the Father part as of right now, not unless we are in the presence of the Pastor or the more seasoned nuns."

Josephine merely giggled and placed a hand against her chest to contain the sound.

"That is true, they do have quite the reputation for being as curmudgeonly as it gets. Well, Doctor Takashima. Allow me to escort you? It's going to rain soon."

///////////////

The tour began in the foyer, and the inside of the building was as big as it looked. The Floor was polished white granite with gold and black marbling underfoot. The walls were a pure white brick all the way to the ceiling, where the bricks met with old but well taken care of stucco and wooden beams. As soon as you walked in there was a giant statue, bronze, of Jesus on his crucifix. A pang goes through me and I have to look away.

This was where she took me to go past the children standing just feet from the macabre statue as they were getting ready to go play in the playground behind the main building. A nun stood there with them, me just as young as Josephine but she was clearly from around here. Her gentle almond eyes were filled with plastic happiness as she addressed the young ones all dressed up in their early fall sweaters and denim pants. I could not help but watch as they stared at her, this time with excitement as they listened.

"All right children, it's time to say the Hail Mary before we go outside! Who would like to start us off?"

Ugh that prayer, it was so stuck in my head that I could not stand it. Luckily she directed me to the double doors to the left of the statue as the sound of children droning on with the prayer went ignored.

"So where are we going first?" I inquired.

"This is the Wing that I work in, the Children's wing. These three floors house the kids both abandoned by their parents and those with serious ailments. The first floor is the orphanage, the second floor is the Physical Wing, and the third is the... The Mental Ward."

She hesitated. I could tell something was off in the way she said it.

"The mental ward? Like, for kids with... disabilities?"

Again she hesitates, stopping just before the door and biting her lip.

"Yes... Autism, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, et cetera et cetera. Really it's... not a place we go to all that often."

Not often...

"Then... then who helps these kids?" I urged her. "Who helps them get help to look for a way to get better? Where are their parents?"

She made an uncomfortable face and opened the doors, completely disregarding my question.

'Well, that is something for another time... Let's continue shall we?"

Then it hit me. These people... didn't care about them, did they? Josephine, the Pastor, the other nuns... To them, a non functioning child is a useless child. Just thinking about it made me feel sick to my stomach.

She continued as though nothing had happened, but I saw her in a new light. Josephine was someone I should not dare to associate with. She was one of the types who believed such vile things and I would not stand for it. I would get through this tour, but I knew I would not like it.

An uncomfortable prickle raised on my skin as we went through the strangely comforting wing full of bright colors. There was a nurses station right when we walked in and there was another nurse sitting there, typing on an ancient desktop computer. The room was big enough to host a series of waiting tables and couches. Then past that was a long hallway colored in bright hues of the rainbow. But paint was flecking in spots here and there to show the cold hard grey wall underneath.

"This is where people hopeful to adopt the children come and wait, then the child they are interested in comes through and they talk, while under supervision of course. It's all very standard procedure."

The rest of what she said felt like wispy words of nothingness, falling onto my ears only to bounce right off. She kept talking but all I could think about were the terrible things this place could hold.

What if they hurt the children on purpose? What if they were neglected and left without comfort? All the possibilities just...

"Doctor?"

Suddenly she stopped in the hallway to the rooms, looking at me in a concerned way.

"Hmm? Oh, uh... what?"

"Is something on your mind?" she peeped, innocently rocking on her heels. "You can speak to me about it you know."

'No I most certainly cannot.'

I held my tongue from that thought and wave her off. Whatever was bothering me was something i didn't want her to know about.

"Its nothing, just lost in thought is all. Do not worry about me."

Josephine seemed pleased and she went back to her beaming smile.

"Really? Well then allow me to show you the rooms. I am sure you will-"

But then a sudden shrill beeping began to alarm in her pocket.

"Maybe you should get that..."

Her face goes from eager to annoyed and get eyes nearly roll into the back of her skull.

"Pardon me," she mumbles and pulls an ancient looking pager from her pocket. "Ah, that's the Pastor. I think he is looking for me. Shall we continue the tour later?"

With her? Maybe when hell freezes over and pigs sprout wings. I'll have to come here on my own when I get the chance.

"Maybe, if time permits," I answer vaguely. "We should go back."

I follow behind her as she turns to head back to the foyer. Her steps are light but hurried and we make it back in no time.

The children are gone but there are two nuns and the Pastor standing in front of the statue.

"Ah, Josephine my dear," the Pastor exclaims as he sees is. His voice always have me the utmost creeps. "I am glad you came right away. Oh? And you have the newest of our little family with you as well?"

Ugh. Disgusting. You call this a family?

"Yes. I was showing him the orphan rooms, as a beginning of the tour. Like you said to do."

Her voice was unneedingly polite, as though she knew what tone would please him. Which he seemed to be by the look of satisfaction in his creepy face as his dead emerald eyes raked over me.

"Ah very good, very good my dear," he chuckled and dabbed a handkerchief at his brow. "But I'm afraid I will have to cut this tour short, there is a patient on the second floor in need of a therapy session and we need the good Father to oversee prayers."

Josephine immediately stiffened, and I could tell she knew what this meant.

"Yellow, black, or blue?" She asked, to my confusion. "One, two, or three?"

"Blue," one of the nuns answered solemnly. "Code number two I am afraid."

What the hell does this all mean?

"Pardon me, but what does that mean?" I asked, and the nun just waved her hand dismissively at me, as though thoroughly annoyed. Beside me Josephine sucked in a shaky breath and fanned herself to calm herself.

None of this was making any sense to me whatsoever.

"We will explain on the way," she croaked and led the way to the stairwell. "We will need to say a few Our Father's for the patient's sake, then maybe a holy water blessing afterwards."

The stairwell was as dark as everywhere else, with only a dim crackling bulb hanging under the first flight of steps to give it light. It was just as cold too, the moisture clinging to me for dear life. I felt disgusting.

"Very good, very good. I shall have the nurses prepare a bottle immediately.. As for your question, Doctor Takashima. Yellow, black and blue are code names for the therapy types we specialize in. Yellow for shock therapy, blue for water therapy. And black for complete isolation therapy."

Isolation therapy? I thought that was illegal here in Japan. Forcing people with demons in their brains to be in complete darkness and silence usually did more harm than good.

"And... The numbers?"

I was already dreading the answer before Josephine even opened her mouth.

"The severity of said therapy is based on these numbers. One for less severe, two for mildly severe, and three for most severe. Its a Blue code two, so we will need to watch carefully as the doctors do their jobs and attempt a successful hydrotherapy session."

It sounded so... Bizarre. And at most, primitive. I thought all these forms of therapy were banned years ago... All were too damaging to the mind and proven unhelpful. But I guess private administrations could do whatever they wanted nowadays... Now I feel even worse. Was coming here even worth it?

"Can I at least know the name of the patient we'll be working with?"

"She is young, about twenty five to twenty six. Her name is Brianna, she is the child of a couple who fled here from America after a terrible war with Russia. The stress and panic have warped her mind and made her severely damaged and susceptible to loud noises."

"So PTSD? That's all?"

"Its very severe," The Pastor explained as we funally reached the second floor. "I'm sure you will understand our ways in due time. After this, I will send you with our dear Josephine here and she can introduce you to the patients you have been sent here to deal with. You're our last hope."

There was no way to explain just how much I really doubted this. Brutal therapy? Severe punishments? All if this was just... Just barbaric. I as certain if anyone from the outside world knew about this, there was only a natter of time before this place had its doors closed forever.

Immediately upon entering into the second floor I heard it begin. And by the stars I never thought I would hear such... Awful noises.

Screaming. All sorts of it, both child and adult, male and female, echoed hauntingly through the corridor we found ourselves in. There were rooms upon rooms behind old creaky metal foors and flaking blue paint. Nurses few in number rushed back and forth pushing carts full of useless sugar placebos and painkillers. Moans of agony seemed to come from every nook and cranny of this place.

What hell was this? Where were the orderlies? The overseers, the proper staff members required to take care of such a travesty? What else were they doing wrong??

"She is through the last door in this hallway," the Pastor explains. "Be warned. She is a screamer."

The rest of the walk was silent and tense, I could already feel the eyes of those condemned taking over my skin, judging me as I attempted to do what I was supposedly supposed to do. Can I even handle this? I was already in a terrible nightmare. Any more of this and they would have to admit me.

What kind of God would allow this to exist?

I couldn't help but to glance into the bars of each room as we passed by then slowly. A woman wrapped in a blanket on her bed here. A man in a strait jacked rolling on the floor there. A teenager with no more hope in this world sitting at her window there.

All of the breath leaves my lungs as I force my head down. It was too much.

'What am I doing here?'

"Brace your ears, Doctor," the older nun says as we reach a huge metal door with the words "THERAPY ROOM" on a rusted brass plaque. "This will definitely be loud."

Without warning the door shoves open and I was met with the most heartbreaking and terrifying sight in my life. My heart dropped to my stomach.

A girl, young and innocent, was strapped into a metal gurney surrounded by two unknown doctors. They held down her arms as bright pink hair flailed about as she struggled to escape. I almost didn't register the screams at first. But once I did I had to cover my ears to drown it out.

Her face was contorted in a pained scream, her arms and legs trying so desperately to break free of the metal chains keeping her bound tightly to her prison. Even through the light blue patient's smock I could clearly see the evidence of bruises and mistreatment. Her ribs were painfully obvious and her lungs wheezed with every scream. We followed them as she was wheeled away to a different part of the room, where we saw a huge tank filled with freezing cold water attached to a series of rusted pumps and nozzles. Here her eyes widened as she saw them getting closer and the screams worsened. It took all I had not to rush over to her side and help to free her from her prison.

"Don't mind us, please get started with the treatment."

The Pastor mumbled something to one of the orderlies before he scurried off.

"We need to get her mouth closed," one of them barked at the nuns. "Please get us a cloth so she doesn't bite her own tongue off, then we can begin."

The nuns nodded to one another as one scurried off and the orderly from before came back with a bottle of holy water and a bundle of lavender flowers. What the hell was happening?

"Father Takashima."

The Pastor addressed me, opening the bottle as more orderlies and another doctor got her hooked up to the water tank. One of the nuns studded a clean washcloth into her mouth, muddling the protests and screams for THEM to stop.

"Y-yes?"

"We will begin with an Our father at the beginning. Then end with one Hail Mary as do the blessing. Understood?"

"Y-Yes, pastor. Do you want me to start now?"

He nodded at me and undid the bottle, shoving the lavender bottle inside to wet the flowers. My throat was so dry I could hardly think. My body went into autopilot as the whir of old machines started up with a huge whirring and grating noise that hurt my ears. The poor girl struggled even worse as the pumps were positioned over her whole body.

"Our Father, who art in Heaven. Hallowed be thy name."

Huge tears streamed out of her eyes as water began to trickle onto her already shivering frame, wracking her with ice cold numbness as I can only imagine. Then those eyes turned on me, freezing me in place as they pleaded for help.

"Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done. In earth as it is in Heaven."

The pressure increased and I almost stuttered over my words as it came out in a pelting shower of water, hitting her in the face and erasing the tears. The nun soon had to cover her mouth with a plastic bag to prevent her from drowning.

"Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation."

I felt a hot flash crawl up my spine as she weakly flailed in the water, violently crying and shivering but unable to say a single word.

"But deliver us from evil, through Christ our Lord."

The flailing stopped, as did the violent tears and screams. Her skin was sickly pale and covered in raised bruises. The water was now a downpour over her face, turning her lips nearly blue.

"Amen."

Then the water stops, slowing to a tiny trickle before only drops are left over. They fall slowly, first on her closed eyes. Then they trickle down her neck that turns slightly bluer with each second. Her screaming has long since stopped, now her chest is rising slowly with slow heaving breaths.

The water drains down the cold gurney to the floor, where it streamed in a spiral down a rusted metal drain.

Everyone sighs in relief at the silence that starts to linger in the room, but just briefly. The chains holding her down start to rattle in time with her shivers. Her hair is plastered to her face as redness is drained from her cheeks.

Horror settled into my body as I realized what I had just seen. Someone was just tortured in front of me and I did not even try to stop it. I just... I just let it happen. I felt sick, I wanted to throw up.

I'll never forget her cries. Or her tears begging for help. It will haunt me forever.

"Pastor," one of the nuns said quietly as she removes the cloth from the girls weakly hung open mouth. "You might want to look at this."

The pastor is almost ready to start blessing the pior girl when she says this, holding the soaking wet bundle of lavender in one hand and a small bible in the other. His brow furrows and he walks to the gurney. By now she is disoriented, and I can feel her blank eyes watching me. Pink hair, wet and cold, frames her red puffy eyes.

"What is it sister?"

"Look," she says again and ever so slightly tilts her head to the side to show her neck. "Look at this. This was not there before was it?"

A sick bubble of curiosity welled up in me and I wanted to get closer, but a hand at my elbow stops me. Josephine looked at me with blank eyes, shaking her head.

"Continue," was all she said to me. "You have a session with her after this, then you'll meet your permanent patients after this. Just get us through this."

What other choice was there?

Heavily I stood back as they examined the girl and her skin, letting the words fall from my lips as I shivered from the cold air.

The Pastor gave The nun a confused face as I finished the prayer, and began to gently flick the lavender water into the girl, murmuring a blessing and for God to take care of her soul and mind. What a hypocrite.

Then he just left, without saying a word to me or anyone else. The two older nuns and all the orderlies followed suit. The doctors stayed to check on her vitals.

Once done they all left, except for Josephine, who stayed in one spot only briefly before walking to the girl and holding onto her cold hands.

"You were brave, my dearest girl," she murmured to the girl, who looked exhausted. "In the eyes of God and his angels, you were one of them. We'll take you back to get warmed up now, and you can talk to someone if that will help you..."

Her words trailed away as she looked at the girl longer. Had she noticed what the Pastor and the nuns did before?

"What's the matter?"

She pushed away her hair and touched at her neck, staring at me.

"Come. Look at this. This is strange..."

I stepped closer, ignoring the pounding in my ears. Her skin was pale, and turning blue. But that wasn't what scared me.

Right under the left side of her jaw was a mark, almost bruise like. It would have been normal had it been a plain bruise but... It wasn't.

A dark blue almost black ring was raised on her pale flesh, almost like a brand. Inside was multiple dark bruises that formed a star.

A tattoo maybe? No... No that can't be it. I know what they look like, this wasn't it.

Whatever this was... It can't be good.

"Come on, Brianna dear," I mumble and unhook her from the gurney, helping her to her feet and watching her head loll weakly to the side, her breaths ragged and strained. "Lets get you in some warm clothes before you catch cold."

She didn't answer me. But I didn't expect her to. Not after what I had just seen happen.

"Would you like me to walk you to her room?"

Josephone spoke up as soon as we started to walk away. I sighed and felt her shiver next to me.

"Yes. Guide me so I don't get lost."

If only I could have someone do the same for me mentally. If this is what I should expect... I might need it more than I had hoped.


	3. First Day

White. All white. Sterile smelling, and very reminiscent of the clinic in my old hometown. A blinding fluorescent light beat down on me, forcing me to squint. This poor girl was so very tired. Not just physically but mentally and emotionally. This place was not good for her.

"Do you remember who you are?"

A blink, followed by slow steady breaths through pale and chapped lips and then a nod. That was as good a sign as I was going to get.

"Can you tell me what you know?"

"Mmm.... My name is... B-Brianna... I'm... I'm twenty five. I came h-here with my p-parents..."

She hesitated. I could tell she was scared and traumatized by her experience. Who wouldn't be honestly...

"Can you tell me anything else?"

The comforter scrunched up under her fingers, signaling her distress. Maybe this was too much all at once.

"Do you remember where you are?" I tried again, folding my hands as I sat in the recliner next to her bed. Another hesitant nod.

"In... M-my room," she said slowly. "I... I am in my room at the... Asylum. But I... If... Anything I also remember... I'm... I remember my parents..."

Her parents... I have yet to have met them.

"Where are your parents?"

Her mouth trembled and opened to speak, but at that moment there was a knock on the metal door to her room. Damn... Was it already time?

"Come in," I answered and stand on my feet, feeling my left leg tingle from falling asleep. It was a nurse, a random one whose face I will most likely never remember. Her voice was urgent.

"Doctor? Your patients are waiting for you on the third floor. Are you ready to meet them?"

I suppose there was hardly a reason to keep them waiting longer than what was normally allowed.

"I guess... give me a minute please."

Her face was blank but she smiled before leaving and propping the door open. The nurses here... acted so strange.

"Are... are you leaving?"

The girl sounded sad, her voice small and trembling. Did she not want me to leave? It made me feel bad but... what was I supposed to do?

"I'm afraid so," I answered and fold up the glasses on my nose. "I have to go find my actual patients now. That's why I am here."

Unfortunately I did not bring my notepad with me. But I wasn't her actual doctor so I had no business doing that anyway.

Her face fell and her eyes drifted back down to her lap.

"Oh... Okay..."

Hmm... Maybe I could still help her in some way.

"Don't worry," I assured her as I stand and walk to the door. "I'll come back to visit whenever I have time."

This was the least I could do for her. If no one else wanted to help then I will.

"R... Really?" She asked slowly, her face lighting up with a rare spark of happiness. "You would do that, for me?"

"Of course I will. I'm not your actual doctor, so you can tell me anything you want or need. I'm doing this because I want to, not because I have to."

That genuinely seemed to make her happy, and a small weight lifted from my shoulders. This was what it meant for me to help people. But... Only as a doctor. Not as a priest.

"Thank you... Doctor," she peeped tiredly. "Please come visit me again soon."

As she began to slide back into her bed I noticed something that made my skin crawl once more.

"It's no problem. Please, call me Uruha from now on. Have a good rest, I'll send a nurse with some tea to help you sleep."

I walked out and closed the door, unable to mask the worry from slipping into my face.

Her bruise was getting bigger, and was spreading to the middle of her throat as a sickeningly beautiful pattern of purple speckles that strangely looked like... Like finger prints.

A nurse would need to check up on that soon before it gets worse.

///////////////

The petite nurse from before came and found me before directing me where to go. There were no elevators in this place, so I had to walk in order to get there. But there was a problem that Josephine told me about earlier.

The third floor was severly unmanned in terms of staff. And the first wing was being renovated from a fire fifty years ago. Meaning that besides me and this nurse, no one else would be around to help us in case we got lost or the patients become violent... That would be the worst part about all of this.

I just hope this girl knew where we were going.

"We have to cross to the other side of this floor first, then a long corridor through scorched wood and broken glass. It is already evening, and there is no electricity there, so it will be very dark. I hope you're okay with that?"

As long as nothing reached out and grabbed me I would be fine. As fine as one could get in this situation anyways.

We had already left the main area and stared down a plain fluorescent lit corridor for the metal door at the other end. It was like walking in an old hotel, with so many doors leading to more patient rooms.

"Yes... I'll be okay. My cell phone has a light."

Due to no service, the device in my pocket was now little more than a glorified flashlight and calculator. Her giggle grabbed my attention and she was shaking her head.

"I dont know why they let you keep that. It's not at all useful here."

I knew That... I guess it was just my stubborn streak that made me want to hold into it.

"Call it my stubbornness but i prefer to make it useful somehow."

I expected more of an argument but all she did as shrug and raise her eyebrows just the tiniest bit, keeping her lips sealed. But I could tell she wanted to despite that. maybe it was my obvious status above her own that kept her from speaking against me. If that was what it took then it was fine by me. It isn't until we enter into the empty hallway through a set of double doors that I realize how empty this place seemed without other people around.

"Nurse! Nurse please, wait!"

Ugh great, not another one of these situations... Yet another nurse was calling to us from where we walked and forced us to turn around. My guide rose her eyebrows at the slightly out of breath woman in front of us, putting a hand to her hip.

"What's the matter? I am on a tight schedule to ensure the good doctor does not miss his deadline."

"My apologies," she panted and bowed multiple times. "But one of the nurses in the child's ward has fallen ill with a cold and no one else can replace her shift. I was told to come find you instead. I hope you can understand..."

An annoyed scowl passed over the guide's face and she sighed, clearly irritated.

"Okay look, someone needs to escort the Doctor to his appointment, otherwise he will be late."

Well I didn't want to take time out of their already busy lives, maybe I could make it on my own...

"It's all right nurse," I find myself answering as i straighten out my glasses. "I think I can manage on my own, it will give me more time to familiarize myself with my new surroundings."

She once again rose her eyebrows, nervously looking between me and the other nurse.

"Are.... Are you sure? You know, it really is no problem to find someone else to help."

"Really, it is totally fine. I know how busy you all are and I don't want to be a burden. I can handle it on my own."

Both want to argue but I know they can't. It's only a few seconds later that they both finally concede with nearly identical huffs of compliance.

"All right," my guide murmurs. "I can give you a short rundown of what to expect, but that is all I can give you. i will have to give you a proper tour in the morning."

"That's okay with me," I answered. "Just tell me where to go and I can do it. But if I fail to make it there in the nest twenty minutes, please send a search party."

I wanted that last bit to be a joke, but it only caused uncomfortable side glances and small laughter out of politeness. Did I strike a weird nerve?

"Okay well, from here to that door down there," she began, ignoring my earlier statement. "That is the stairwell, it'll take you up two flights of steps to the next floor. There you will need your uh... phone light? It's a big hallway with broken windows and lot's of burned walls and the like. A construction company left their paint and building supplies in there as well, but won't be back until summer next year so you'll have to step around them. Just keep going straight, don't go down any side hallways. Just straight. You understand? At the end of that hallway is a turn, here you have to go left, not right. At the left for twenty feet is the entrance to the Patient's ward."

"So.. Straight. Two flights of stairs. Big straight hallway. Then left. Is that right?"

Thankfully she nodded. Maybe I can do this after all.

"There are only ten patients living there in solitary rooms. They are the most dangerous ones here. You have to be careful with four of them. Those are your patients while you are here. There are only two other doctors and two nurses that will be with you, unlike down here where there are an abundance of us."

The other nurse tugs on her sleeve, and she sighs again before looking at me seriously. The severity and fire in her eyes sends a shiver through me. So creepy.

"This is not a normal hospital, Doctor. So please, do keep that in mind. There is an eclipse in two days, I hope you'll be here by then."

Then they disappear back down the hallway, getting smaller and smaller before leaving through the doors. The silence is all that is left behind. Another cold chill goes through me and I can't help but to shiver. This place really does feel empty now that I am alone... Now that I think about it, I have never been alone in this building yet. It's always some doctor or nurse or nun that is with me, showing me how to not get lost. It was... unnerving.

But screw it. If I am going to make my way in this world I have to ignore all of my warning bells and do this on my own. This building was just another obstacle for me to overcome and I intend to overcome it no matter what. Even if I get lost, all places lead to an exit, right?

A shaky breath and a press down of my lab coat later I finally managed to force myself to walk through the big door at the end, nearly losing my breath from how heavy it was. Right then I could feel a... A weird energy in the dark stairwell.

It was like being in an entirely new situation, a new environment. It felt colder and heavier. A chilly sensation raised the hairs on the back of my neck and I was forced to pull my coat even closer. Where the hell was this place?

Even the single bulb dangling from the ceiling did little to cut through the darkness I was experiencing. now was probably a good time to get out my phone huh...

"How do these people live like this," I grumbled as i started my climb. "What are we in, the twentieth century?"

It was twenty seventeen for crying out loud. Most hospitals had elevators, working lights and, not rarely at all, decent cell service. But here, just finding a good place to shower was a luxury to these people. The thoughts of a nice warm place to sleep and more than two hours of sunlight made me homesick for my apartment in Tokyo right about now.

But the paint chips and rusted guard rails of these cold cement steps made me feel all kinds of emotions. Sadness, isolation. The feeling of being trapped. I only came here to find a way to help people. To make even the most hopeless of people trapped in their own sadness find the light in the world that made life wonderful. Mental institutions usually did that pretty well.

But how was I going to do that when even I could not see it? It was obvious, this place was beyond my help. Even if I spent the rest of my life here, which I sure as hell wasn't that was for sure, nothing could turn this place into anything other than a depressing hell hole. No amount of doctors could do it, me included.

These steps were old and even older was the eerie feeling of death and anxiety that came from them. Imagine my immense relief when I finally reached the top past the exposed metal beams in the walls and flickering light to be met with a door. There were more stairs going to the fourth floor but I didn't have the clearance to go up there just yet. Nor did I want to.

This door was not as heavy, but squeaked horribly on rusted hinges. I guess I don't blame the construction people for not wanting to come here while it was cold, this place was creepy during the fall.

Speaking of creepy... This corridor was definitely not someplace I expected to be. The windows let in no light as it was now about seven at night. My fingers are shaking as I turned on my phone's light, it was cold up here but it was now from the cold air coming in from the windows.

It was like the nurse had said, paint supplies and pieces of glass were lying about on a cold broken tiled floor. The walls were covered in a plastic tarp here and there, and whatever spots were exposed showed a dull grey paint underneath. Giant tubs of paint sat about in random places, in front of doors to block them or propping a few open.

This was like a horror movie waiting to happen. I didn't even want to know what the end of the hallway looked like now.

Another shiver and I force my head down as I continued to walk, keeping the light in front of me as I walked as to not trip on anything. Now let's see, she said to keep going straight... Then once I get down there I was supposed to go left. Seems easy enough.

"Um, okay. I can do this. I can-'

As soon as I reached the end I looked up to determine which way to go, only to find something... strange in front of me.  A... A person. O-or rather a child, was standing at the junction of the hallways in front of me. His clothes were dirty and torn in some places. His skin was pale and looked almost deathly. Bright blue eyes stared at me blankly, blinking every few seconds as I froze.

What was a child doing up here on his own? Were the nurses here really so ignorant and uncaring that a child could make his way here on his own?

"U-um... Are you... lost?" I began and tried to get a better look at him. "Do you need me to help you back downstairs?"

No answer. Was he hard of hearing?

"H-hey. L-little kids aren't supposed to be up here. You need to go back downstairs."

Before I could say much else the boy begins to walk to the left, exactly where I was supposed to go.

"H-hey wait!'

If I don't follow him he could get hurt..! Quickly I turned the corner only to find... nothing? Where did he go? This corridor... I saw the next door but... Oh crap I'm late. I didn't see him down here, but how does a child disappear down a hallway that only had one door, and in such a short time? It couldn't be possible... could it?

Unless... No. No that was impossible. Ghosts aren't supposed to be real. They... they can't be. Right?

No no, I must just be seeing things. It was late and this place is creepy. I just... I needed to be around people for a while.

Hurriedly I rushed through the hallway to the next door that was, thankfully, a newer form than the others. Smooth and wooden, there was no squeak as I opened it. A warm rush of air smacked me square in the face and the feeling of carpet from cement was a welcomed change. Relief flooded through me as the door fell closed.

I was now in a room about the size of a standard waiting room with leather arm rests and small coffee tables, and a nurse's desk just near it. Across from me about fifteen feet away was an opened set of wooden double doors and I could see a long winding corridor with very dim lights on the walls. It was far more cozy in here despite the people it housed.

Thankfully there was a nurse waiting for me at the desk and she quickly waved me over once I was in sight. There was even a computer here, despite it being ancient looking.

"Ah, Doctor Takashima, yes? We were expecting you to show up."

I nervously smiled and reveled in the warm air, letting my eyes scan over the soft beige wallpaper and soft orange lights lighting the small room up in a gentle glow.

"Yes... Sorry for the wait, a few things came up. Am I still to meet my new patients?"

Standing up from her spot, the nurse nodded and picked up a clipboard from her desk. Patient information, if I had to guess correctly.

"Yes, but since it is late now, I suggest meeting with one right now, then after you get acquainted you can come back in the morning to meet the others. We do have a strict schedule to keep after all."

She started to walk me to the doors where we saw the first door on the left. It was big and made of metal with a wooden frame. There was a glass window small enough to look inside but not enough to let someone actually try to escape. Seemed sturdy enough I suppose.

"Of course," I answered and put my glasses back up on my nose and straighten out my coat. "Anything to keep this place in tip top shape. So who am I meeting first?"

As I asked she became visibly nervous and her head lowered just so. We stopped in front of the door and she tried to straighten out, staring at the door.

"Code named Aoi. Our most dangerous patient here, kept close to the entrance for this very reason. He is a known killer and arsonist, having killed over thirty people and destroyed ten buildings in the last five years," she started and then looked at me. "We don't know his reasons for doing these things, nor do we know his actual name. That's what you are here to find out. We expect results doctor. The pastor is very insistent that you succeed. We've lost two doctors because of him in one year alone."

The way she spoke of this person made me nervous, I won't lie. He sounded like a terrible human being. I just hope that I can keep my stubborn streak as I deal with this. She begins digging in her pocket for the key to the door.

"So... How long has he been here?" I can't help but to ask.

"About three years. Each year his attitude only seems to get worse. He hates female doctors, and any male doctors we have sent to him didn't want to deal with him. You're our very last chance. Just be careful with him. He is extremely temperamental and does not respond well to loud noises and bright lights. And don't mention that you're a priest, he is hostile to any and all mentions of God."

The last chance for what? To make him less terrible? I doubt it. No matter what i did or said, there was little an inexperienced person like me could do to change years of sin and evil deeds.

Still, my mouth moved before I could even let my true thoughts be exposed.

"I'll try," I say and hold into the handle. "Come get me in an hour, okay nurse?"

Her head lightly bobbed in agreement as she finally clicked the door open and peeked her head inside.

"Aoi. Your new doctor is here to see you."

I didn't hear anything from inside. But I could see a gentle orange light coming from inside. The nurse waits a few seconds before making room for me to enter on my own.

"Good luck," she peeps as she stuffs the key in her pocket and places the now obviousky empty clipboard in my hands. "You're gonna need it."

I stepped inside and immediately I felt an overwhelming sensation. Oppression. The door closed and I could already tell I was I'm over my head. The room was dark, with only a small dangling light bulb from the cieling for minimal light. There was a bed with black sheets and a grey canopy surrounding it. Weren't canopies something like a luxury here?

And a leather chaise I assumed was for me sat only but a few feet from this bed. They thought everything through didn't they.

It wasn't until I took in a total picture of the room that I noticed Him sitting on the bed. And I felt the oppression increase to an uncomfortable amount. But there was a shadow so I could not see his face clearly.

"Hello?" I called cautiously. "Um... Aoi San... I'm Doctor Takashima. I'll be in your care from now on."

There is a stiff silence, until I hear the sheets rustling and then... A laugh.

"You're my new doctor?" A deep but smooth voice answers. "You're certainly different... Cute too."

Cute..? Was that something normal for a patient to say to their doctor? Hesitantly I make my way to the chaise and slowly slide onto it, as far away as I could. I hope I am not dealing with a pervert here.

"Uhm... Yes Well, I am here to evaluate you. I have an hour, so please be patient with me."

I was expecting a 'yes sir' or even a 'yes doctor' to be honest. But... As he scooted closer to me in the bed and I saw his face for the first time I could tell I needed to be even more on my guard.

Sleek raven black hair, pale skin and piercing blue eyes... He wasn't at all what I expected to see. However the more I held his eyes in mine I could see the insanity in them.

But even more, I saw something else. Something that made me shiver as heat crawled down my spine. My entire body went hot and a flush spread across my cheeks.

"Mmm yes. You'll do perfectly. Welcome to my own little bubble of insanity, Takashima sensei."

 _Lust_.


	4. Dead End - First Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly a dialogue chapter. BUT THIS IS WHERE SHIT GETS GOOD

There wasn't a whole lot in this world that was capable of ticking me off. It took a whole lot, and even then it never even lasted all that long for it to be something that bothered me. However... This job was... Proving extremely questionable.

My clipboard and paper had long been scribbled in with notes, and it had been but thirty minutes since I was here.

I haven't even told him my first name yet.

Aoi was... Difficult. To say the absolute least. He had moved from laying under the covers to sitting cross legged on his bed next to me, his black sweatpants and loose tank top barely hiding the many scars and various tattoos across his body. He was skinny, and not in the good way. The way his ribs poked at his skin made me feel nauseous, and his thin wrists struggled to even grip the sheets.

This evaluation was proving to be a challenge. I could barely get a word in before he changed the subject. He diverted all questions about him to being about me. And any attempt in getting Him to keep on topic was ignored. If it weren't for my duty as a doctor, I would have already stormed out.

And it wasn't even just the way he diverted my questions or ignored my protests.

His eyes had not left me for even a few seconds since we got acquainted. They looked at me like I was a piece of meat, like a... a brand new toy for him to mess with. Every time I spoke his eyes followed my lips, every time I so much as shifted in my seat to get comfortable they drifted down even further before slowly taking their time coming back up.

It was extremely uncomfortable. I wanted to run so bad but something... Something was keeping me here. I've never felt such an oppressive feeling in my life before this.

STILL. I had to try my hardest to get through this job. Aoi was my patient and.... I have to help. No matter how much I really really, wanted to run away from him.

"What's your real name?" I tried again. He grinned lecherously at me.

"Not til you tell me yours first."

Of course. A sigh tumbles from my mouth before I keep trying.

"Why did you do all those terrible things?"

"Would you like me to show you why?"

"Aoi-san please, this information is important. Do you want me to help you or don't you?"

I already knew he wanted no part of any help whatsoever. But this was all a part of the facade after all.

Again, he grins, only this time his straight white teeth are flashing at me in an almost threatening manner. We have been at this for nearly thirty minutes already.

"Your definition of help and my own are two very different things, sensei," he rumbled lowly in his throat. "You want to know why I killed those people don't you? And why they were, specifically, only women? That's the only reason why isn't it?"

I hadn't really opened my mouth about it that explicitly, but... But he wasn't wrong.

"That information would help," I admit and dared not to tear my eyes from him. "This information won't leave the room as per the patient doctor confidentiality rule."

I could not look weak in a moment of such vulnerability. And even if he tried anything, there was an orderly outside the door ready to effectively restrain him if need be.

Aoi sighed, leaning his head weakly against the wall, but his posture screamed confidence. Even though I was in the position of power and he wasn't..?

"Hmm... I guess, though either way I don't really care who knows," he admitted with a roll of his eyes, allowing me a brief moment to breathe before they once more landed on me. "But after three years if silence, you must have a reward for me, Yes? Thats how this whole thing works. I say something you want me to say, and I get a reward."

He expects a reward? For telling me why he committed such horrible acts? Just how twisted was he? Clearly more than he let on.

"A reward? Why?"

His breath leaves his frail frame in a shaky sigh of disbelief.

"Incentive. A reason to let the cat out of the bag. The usual. Come on sensei you can't expect me to spill my guts to a complete stranger for no good reason."

He says it in an obvious way, as though I'm an idiot for even asking why. Just what is he playing at? And maybe I am an idiot for even considering it but... Maybe it would help me figure out his weaknesses.

"And what is it that you expect as a reward, should I even begin to consider it?"

Okay... Maybe I shouldn't have asked that question at all. Once I spoke that sentence his head lifted from the wall and ge smiled, his eyes staring a hole into my lips before they slide away and onto the ceiling.

"Hmmm... Since you can't tell anyone about what happens here then... Maybe..." A pause. Then a small giggle. He fucking giggles. "Maybe... Your undying devotion to me? To give me all of your time and utmost attention to for the rest of your time here? How does that sound for a reward fitting of my information?"

What... What is he talking about? My time? My attention? Just how... How gullible do I look to him? Now I was getting upset.

"I'm afraid I can't do that for you, Aoi," I grit out and took my glasses off my nose in a frustrated gesture. "I have three other patients to meet after this, of whom you already know of. If anything you will only be receiving one fifth of my total time."

Maybe if I disappoint him then it will make him give up.

"Ohh? Is that so?" He asked, trying to act indifferent but I can tell I have indeed disappointed him. "Then it appears we are at an impossible impasse here. No reward for my time? Then what are you even doing here? Playing doctor? Please... If you expect results then you're not trying hard enough."

Still, he acts nonchalant about it, and continues to stare at me. No, not me. Not in my eyes. He just... Keeps staring at my mouth, specifically. I know somewhat of what he means by my time. The heated glances and lecherous thoughts were obvious to me at this point.

Too bad I have to disappoint him further, as those sorts of things were not at all interesting to me.

"Then I will just have to try harder then, won't I?" I say with a fold of my arms. "I'm not gonna be here for long. Half a year, maybe shorter if I can help it. In that time, I expect to see immediate results. And if I cannot help you, then no one can."

His eyes darken, and my words seem to strike a nerve deep inside of him. His once relaxed body language becomes tense, the knuckles in all his fingers tighten as they grip the edges of the dark sheets albeit weakly.

"Sensei... Don't patronize me," he lowly growled at me, becoming frustrated. "If I really needed your help, you wouldn't be here at all. I would have already left if I did. But I don't belong out there in the real world, not anymore. Not after what I have been through."

His eyes close and he turns away from me, for once not wanting to look at me. This rare moment of weakness allowed another much needed breath. Did he really believe that he could not be helped? Was his life here really so hopeless?

"Then please, Aoi. Even if you don't want my help. At least tell me why," I pressed. "My superiors won't know, the nurses wont know. No one but me will."

That seems to remind him that truly, no one else will have even the smallest inkling of what we did in here. His eyes once again open but he keeps them down. And then the most curious thing... He smiles. And for once, it isn't directed at me.

"I see...So sensei, if you... If you Really want to help me. Then there probably is something you really can help me with."

Is he... Is he actually coming around?"

"What Do you want me to do?" I asked. "I am not helping you escape If thats what you want."

Then he laughed again, shaking his head like I was an idiot.

"No, it's nothing like that. The society of your current world will do little to help me now. So, sensei. Are you willing to hear me out?"

"If it means knowing what exactly what I am dealing with, then yes. But if it's something I cannot do, then I'm afraid you're out of luck."

I hope he wasn't expecting me to do anything crazy. He had already asked me for something impossible by requesting all of my time and attention. Anything beyond that would be ridiculous.

Aoi scooted even closer this time, throwing his legs over the bed to look at me with hooded deep eyes. What in the nine hells?

"I want to see them. The other three patients that are on your list. I want to know what my friends have been up to lately."

How... How did he know? Weren't they kept in solitary for a reason? Did they have connections in this place?

"You didn't even think I would know," he then realizes with an even wider smile. "Oh you dear lost soul, you have no clue whatsoever. Those orderlies outside the door will gossip and ramble about anything. Whatever goes on beyond these floors is a reason to spout off nonsense about anything. And they will do it anywhere regardless of who hears them. I kept hearing whsipers at night, of how the 'new and young doctor' is planning on helping the four gang members. The ones who did the most wrong and evil of deeds. I knew the truth right away."

I couldn't even bring myself to answer him. Those damn orderlies... They needed to learn how to keep their mouths shut about matters that didn't concern them at all. Didn't they ever hear about patients who knew too much?

"Well... I'm... I'll have to consider that," I say and glance at my watch. Has it been thirty minutes already? It was already two minutes to eight at night. "My shift for the night is over. So I will have to excuse myself for now until tomorrow."

On shaky legs I finally managed to stand up and collect myself, folding my glasses and putting them away. This has to have been one of my least favorite sessions to date...

"Aw, leaving already sensei?" Aoi suddenly says with a pout, tilting his head. "But I didn't even learn anything about you yet."

Is that really what was bothering him?

"Well...it's Uruha. You can call me Uruha sensei from now on. Are you satisfied with that?"

As soon as I said my name the energy in the room seemed to shift dramatically. A hot breeze seemed to pass through me and all my senses feel foggy. Then in an unexpected move he stands from the bed and makes his way to me, forcing me to move backwards. All the while my heart is thudding and his face is calm with a placated smile. The very sight makes me nervous and flushed.

"W-what are you doing?" I asked, forcing myself against the wall nearest the door. "D-don't come any closer!

Every panic alarm began to go off, making my head soon. He came ever closer, I could almost feel his body heat.

"Whats the matter, sensei?" He purred. "You're off the clock aren't you? That means I can be the horrible terrible self I usually am. Don't tell me you're afraid of someone invading your precious bubble?"

In a display of arrogance he slammed his right hand next to my head on the wall, making a loud thud that hurt my ears. Then he slowly looked me up and down, a red tongue flicking out to kick at his lips like he was about ready to eat something tasty.

Oh my God... Am I gonna die here?

"I'm... I'm warning you," I stutter. "If you t-try anything I'll call the nurses..."

However my threat falls on dead ears. He laughs in my face and just... Just stares at me. There is that look again. That lustful arrogance that I saw before. Why is this happening to me? Has God really forsaken me?

"Do not worry," he murmurs to me, almost sweetly. "I won't hurt you. At least not in a way you will notice."

"Wh... What?"

Aoi then does something else... Unexpected. His free left hand rose to my eye level, where I could see the calluses of his fingers and the thin skin over his wrists. Then they came dangerously close to my face, instinctively my eyes close and I flinched. His breath is ragged, warm against my face and it smells of toothpaste.

Only a second later I feel the warmth of a single thumb pressing against my mouth, feeling and sensing. He's... He's touching my mouth so slowly. I can feel the blood pulsing through his fingertips through my lips. I'm so scared... What if he plans to do something... Bad to me?

"You really are beautiful," I heard him whisper to me. "Why couldn't you come here any sooner?"

My heart once again is going crazy. I can't believe this is happening...

"Don't... Please..."

His breath comes out even more slowly, and before I know it his thumb is caressing and pressing even harder against my lips, as though trying to figure out a mystery.

I can't help the small gasp from leaving my mouth as heat slowly spreads across my face. I can't take this! I'm so scared! Please God help me..!

"Uruha. Look at me."

Why am I not... Able to resist the temptation to look at him? All he did was say my name. So why... Why can't I stop myself?

I'm already hating myself as I do as I am told, letting my eyes open slowly. He's closer now, still staring at me like that without a hint of sweetness, worry, or gentle warmth. Just a pure unadulterated and concentrated heat. His lips are so close now. I know what he wants.

"Aoi, please... Don't..."

And I can't stop myself from noticing, just only now. After all this time. Just how... Heart breakingly handsome he is.

"Shh. Its okay," he coos quietly before his own eyes close. "Uruha. You're so very beautiful..."

"What are you-"

But it's too late. I'm helpless. My words fail me as my mouth is sealed shut by his own. Everything stopped. My heart began to crumble in my chest as he kissed me. Slowly at first, then he became more aggressive as he cupped my face with both hands and pulled me closer.

What was worse. I couldn't even stop him. I was frozen in place. I could not move, even as his hands touched and caressed my face slowly. A knee forced itself between my legs, pressing me even further into the wall.

Why is this... Why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this cruel fate?

"Mphh!"

A strangled gasp left my mouth as a warm wet tongue wet my lips, forcing me to let him in unwittingly. He was... Rough. Mercilessly he held me even closer, using his tongue to render me helpless as it tangled and rubbed against mine.

Why can't I stop him? Why am I not screaming for help? I can't breathe..!

My legs went weak and he caught me before lifting me up. I panted as his lips finally left mine, sucking in oxygen. He carried me to the bed where he threw me down.

"Please stop it," I cried out, weak from lack of oxygen. "Don't..."

I tried covering my face but... But I knew he would not listen to me. By the way he crawled over me and pinned me down by my arms I knew I was totally fucked. His eyes were smoldering and held a deep insane possessiveness in them that made every bone in my body feel like I was cased in cement.

"Uruha... You should not have come here," he rasped. "Now I can't leave you alone. Now when everything I have worked for is right in front of me. Just... Waiting for me to take it."

"What... Are you talking about?" I whimpered, trying to wriggle free. "Why are you doing this to me?"

I need to leave... Please anything but this!

"I can see... Deep inside of you," he then breathed, leaning in so he could press his face to my shoulder. "Everything is in plain sight. You have the gift of eternity nestled inside your heart, a gift I myself can exploit. You have the visions of a thousand worlds swimming in your eyes. And only I can interpret them."

His mouth pressed slowly deliberate kisses to my skin, searching for something. What is he talking about?

"You... You're crazy! Get off of me!"

But he's strong. I'm no match for him as he continues to press kiss after agonizing kiss along my throat. Then I feel teeth at my jugular, slowly grinding into my skin.

"Within these four walls you have disrupted the once static peace. Now you must pay in blood a debt for that peace which you have awakened. A soul must be traded for the happiness of mortals, a life for a life. And so a deal has been struck, and must always be repaid."

Then those hands are running down my body, making jolts of electricity run through every limb. I feel numbed by all the sensations.

"Aoi..! Stop it..!"

But before I can properly scream for help those teeth have begun to bite down on my throat. Are these... sharp teeth? They don't break skin. But the pain makes me cry out in surprise. A tongue then slowly caresses the marks where he bit down.

"And with my guidance," he continued, shrugging off his tank top to expose his skinny frame. "The being of light has been bathed in shadows, and walks within the pages of the eternal twilight."

My eyes widened as I looked at him. What was hidden under his tank top was now fully exposed. Tattoos. Hundreds of them covered his skin. But they weren't normal tattoos. Stars. Stars inside rings made of black lines and splotches. Fingerprints...

Horror rushed through me as I realized what this all really meant. Brianna... I have to get back to her..!

However much I wanted to I couldn't. I knew that now.

He started to slowly draw a circle over the only patch of exposed skin that was left. Over his heart. Where his fingers touched, a black darkness followed, until a perfect circle was drawn. And like a flash his finger marked an upside down star inside.

"What's... happening..?"

He looks down at me, and ever so gently, pressed his finger to where he had bit me. A shock parayzed me. My eyes... I feel so tired...

"You have been chosen. Chosen to be my descent into the abyss of insanity."

Then I... I felt nothing.


	5. Chaos - First Night

It was cold. So very cold. My whole body felt numb. Nothing would move. I couldn't even feel my arms... Something feels heavy? I feel like I'm on something soft but it's freezing. I can feel my clothes missing from my body, only a thin pair of sweatpants clung steadfast to my hips to leave my entire upper body exposed.

Did I... Fall asleep? Or worse... Did I pass out? Where am I?

"Ugh..."

I have to... I have to leave. After what just happened to me I can't... I can't stay here anymore. This place was... Wait. Something was... Something is laying on me? There is a weight around my waist holding me down.

Hurriedly I try to move around, my eyes still blurry even after I opened them. It was a blurry mess.

"Mmm stop.... Stop moving..." a low voice sleepily grumbled in my ear. "Just stay."

What the... Hell. Oh God I remember where I am. The Asylum. The third floor. My patients...

"Where... Where am I?" I whimpered and tried to blink away the blur. "I have to... I have to go home... I wanna go home."

The weight shifted around and moved from my waist to my arms. I can't move!

"Don't," the voice once more growled, now deeper and louder. Fear spiked through me and before I could realize it, a soft huff of freezing air blew at my neck. Is he... keeping me prisoner? Am I going to stay here forever?

"Aoi?" I mumbled. "Please... Let me go. This isn't right!"

There is a sigh, making me shiver, as his arms shift once more to tighten around me. His body is cold as I am pulled closer, and the feel of his heart beat... I can't feel it actually. I don't feel one. Only the feel of his breathing.

"Since when is anything I do right?" he answered lazily. "This isn't right, forcing you against the wall wasn't right, shoving my tongue down your throat wasn't right blah blah blah. But I don't care. I really do not care. Now, stay. Put."

Fuck... I am stuck here aren't I? My vision comes back to me, and I am back in Aoi's room. It's still cold. But his body was even colder.

They'll notice I am gone soon. They'll come after me... Won't they?

"I know they will come for me," I threaten, squeezing my eyes shut. "I know that I'll be saved. All I have to do is wait."

"Then what?" he laughs in my ear. "They'll strap me down and sedate me? You'll see me get my punishment for kidnapping you? Please, I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon."

Why wouldn't they? Aren't I someone important?

"I'm a doctor, and a..."

Fuck I almost forgot. I shouldn't mention...

"What? That you're a priest?"

Oh. Shit. How did he figure it out?

I turn back as he lets go of me, seeing him smirking at me through tired lazy eyes. This... bastard! Quickly I take this time to quickly get away, standing up on shaky legs away from the bed, immediately backing up against the door. If he knows... He might kill me. Or... or worse.

"How did... How did you-"

"Uruha, did you honestly think I would not notice?" He said as he sits up, stretching his arms over his head. "It was obvious, I could smell the old chapel and holy water all over you. But thankfully I didn't burst into flames, which tells me something interesting."

"B-burst into flames?" I asked. "What are you talking about?"

He stood up, and I felt that oppressive feeling from before as he approached me, his posture relaxed but also very confident.

"You don't believe. You don't believe one single bit in the God that you have so foolishly claimed for your lifelong prison. Maybe if you believed just a little bit harder... Who knows, really."

Once again I found myself in this situation, backed into a corner like a trapped rat. Why is this happening?

"Look, Uruha. I am not gonna sugar coat it for you. I'm not like you, I am  _nothing_. Like you. Which is why I am so enraptured with you. We are from different worlds. Different dimensions. The moment I saw you walk in that door, I could tell, you were the one who would help me escape the chains holding me down to mortality."

Is he insane?

"What..? I don't understand."

"Hmm, it's okay. You will see soon." He stopped but only a foot away, where he looked me up and down, grinning. "You look nice in those, it shows off all my perfected handiwork."

What does he mean?

"Huh?"

Then he laughed, scratching at the new tattoo over his heart. The same one that... That was on Brianna.

"Just see it for yourself, I made it so pretty and perfectly to my liking."

I didn't stop him as a paralyzing feeling washed over me, and again I could not move. Is he.... Controlling me?

"Ugh... Why can't I move??"

But he does not answer that, instead he smiles at me and placed his palm over the spot I was bitten. His hand is freezing..!

"I'll make you a deal, darling," he began, caressing the spot. "Why don't I let you go and see how things are for yourself? If you make it to your own room, you can stay there for a while. But if you can't handle it, you have to stay here and I'll decide what to do with you. Deal?"

A scowl crossed my face and I struggled again to move.

"And what am I supposed to do if I get to my place?" I challenged. "Are you implying that I won't?"

Another laugh, and he slides a finger up and down my neck. Another shiver went through me, and I hated myself so much...

"That is entirely what you decide to do, baby doll. If you make it, then you're braver and stronger than I thought. If not, well... Either way is good news for me either way. So? Is it a deal?"

Is he kidding? Of course I am not staying here!

"I'm not staying here," I answered with a scowl. "Not with you. I'm leaving. The nurses will help me find my way back."

I wanted that to sound resolute, but my voice was shaking. He could tell that I was not sure about everything and started to shake his head. His hand then left my body and I could move again. What the hell was that?

"Poor thing, so cute and naive about everything. Well, we'll see how long this lasts. But if I were you, I would put some clothes on before you leave. I don't want anyone seeing what belongs to me now."

Belongs to him? He really is insane..! He came back with my clothes, which I swiped away angrily.

"You're crazy," I snapped, totally pissed. "I don't belong to anyone. Especially not to you. You've already ruined everything. Now I know for sure that we're both damned."

Angrily I shuffle on my clothes, steam coming from my ears. At least I got my clothes, but... What did he mean by see what belonged to him? Just then I saw it. And my blood froze in my veins. A... A tattoo of a star was in the spot where he bit. One exactly identical to his and... identical to the one on poor Brianna. I... I need to see her. To make sure she is okay!

But just as I go to leave he grabs my arm and spins me around, forcefully pulling me against his body. There... Now I could tell he... didn't have a heartbeat. What is he..?

"Oh Uruha," he murmured and cupped my face and smiled, almost mockingly sad at me. "My sweet dear Uruha. You were damned from the moment you set foot in this place. And now, no amount of prayer or hope will wash it away."

Then he kisses me again, catching me off guard. But he didn't use his tongue this time. Only a slow but quick press of his lips to mine before he let go.

"Let.... Let me go," I huffed and tore myself away, where he only laughed again. "I'm not coming back."

But his face twisted into a creepy, almost demonic and haughty grin.

"Hmm, I'll see you soon dear. I'll get ready and introduce you to my friends when you come back. We have a lot to talk about. So don't make me wait too long, okay?"

But I didn't want to let him say much more because I was already gone, letting the door slam in his face.

///////////////

I could still... feel his lips on mine even after using an entire minute to calm down. Fuck! I should have known I was going to get in trouble. I should have fucking known. And I should not have accepted this job in the first place. I could have been peacefully at home, enjoying my life and holding a boring blessing here and there. Anything would be better than this, anything would be better than be claimed by a psychotic and clearly not human patient. All I knew now was that this whole religion thing was not for me anymore. It was what got me in trouble in the first place.  

If I had to walk the fifty miles back to Tokyo I would. Fuck this place. Fuck all of it. Aoi can go burn in the eternal depths of his 'twilight pages' or whatever he called it for all I care. I wasn't gonna let him do anything else to corrupt me. The promise of a six figure income was not worth it anymore.

"I am never going back," I spat angrily at the floor. "He can just go die."

Maybe it wasn't a good enough idea to leave without knowing what I was dealing with though. The entire corridor was dark and unlit. Again, I had no choice but to use the light of my phone.

But that wasn't what scared me the most... The nurses were gone, and the doors to the other rooms were wide open.

Oh  _fuck_.

"H...Hello?" I called out. "is anyone here?"

Silence. Just... silence. No one answered me, no one moved. This place was deserted aside from me. And... Aoi of course. Ugh... The patients are out, the nurses have deserted their posts, and the orderlies have all disappeared. Even the door to the gutted hallway was open and replaced the warm air with cold air. I didn't dare to stay here any longer before Aoi decides to change his mind.

But to his credit he did give me my shoes back.

It was even colder than I thought it was, and the thin lab coat around me did little to chase it away. Ugh how did a place like this even get so cold? It felt so... unnatural. Was this what people meant when they said I should not be here long? Did they know things would get this messed up?

The windows let in sparse light as clouds covered the already crescent shaped moon, rendering it useless. The phone only seemed to grow dimmer, strangely enough. I know for certain that after this, I will swear off of corridors forever.

Suddenly as I reached the middle of the hallway I froze. Another feeling started to settle around me, a feeling of being dipped in a freezing cold pool of water and forced to flounder helplessly. Violent shivers rendered me helpless and I almost started to run.

_**You shouldn't be here.** _

A voice... A soft child like voice just spoke to me. But from were? I looked all around me but saw nothing.

"Who's there?" I yelled shakily, flashing my light all around my head.

_**Leave, now. Before it's too late... This place is cursed. Please, flee, flee before he catches you. Please...** _

"Where are you? Who are you?" I screamed and screamed. "Before who catches me?"

But no other answer came. Everything fell still and I no longer felt that creeping chill up my arms. But I did feel one more thing.

**Terror**.

So I ran. I forced my legs to move and ran all the way to the end of the hallway, nearly tripping on paint buckets and face planting into shards of glass. My heart thudded in my chest as I slammed my body into the door to the second floor stairwell. In here was just as cold, and the feeling of oppression was thick. The air felt heavy in my lungs and it hurt to breathe.

"What the hell is happening?" I pant and carefully trot down the steps. "Why why why..?"

Maybe Aoi was right... If I hadn't let my delusions of my own religion get in the way of my job. If only I had tried harder, then maybe this would not have happened. But it was too late for me.

There was no more reason to consider me a priest. There was no more reason to call me a man of God, a servant of the people or whatever other bullshit you would call it.

I was damned, just like he said... And I can't even bring myself to deny it anymore either. The realization must have hit me less as hard as I thought it would, because a strange weight seemed to lift off of me as I reached the bottom to the second floor. I didn't believe in God and that illusion of forcing myself was.... Holding me down. Maybe that was why I was having funny feelings all this time. All I knew it to be untrue.

Even if it was what damned me in the first place, maybe now I can move on.

My fingers felt numb as I opened the door, still shivering violently. Here was dark too.

"Damn it. Where is everyone?"

The nurses station was all knocked over, papers were strewn about everywhere. Even the once pristine walls full of baby blue paint were... scrawled over with black disturbing graffiti. The sight of it made me sick to my stomach. Horrible awful visions of people being impaled by giant monsters. Or... Or demons. Who did all of this?

There were also black stars like the one on my neck, only more pronounced as thick and straight lines in nearly perfect circles.

Then I saw her. The... The nurse who helped me before. She was... dead. Her throat had been sliced open as her face was in a permanent scream of terror. Nausea bubbles in my throat and it takes everything in me not to throw up with disgust and distress. Did I... Did I cause this? Was this my fault? Was all of this my fault?

And then... in bloody red scratches on the wall above the... the dead nurse, were words. Words that... only further cemented the fact that this place was cursed.

"The... The beings of light are bathed in shadow," I wheezed through a choking cough. "And condemned to dance in the pages of twilight for all of Eternity."

Brianna!

I quickly force myself to tear away from the dead body and rush to her room. Oh God please don't let her be gone..!

There was no light coming from under her door, but... But I could tell that it had not been disturbed as of now. Maybe she was smart and decided to close herself in? I just hope that... That she was okay.

Slowly I knocked, trying to keep my actions leveled and calm despite my raging turmoil.

"Brianna?" I called, trying to hear for her voice. "Brianna? Are you in there? It's me! Please, let me inside!"

I don't hear anything at first, and I start to fear the worst. What if someone took her? Oh god oh God please let her be okay!

"Is it... Is it really you?"

Oh... I can hear her. She sounds scared but... She is alive!

"Y-yes! Yes, please, let me in," I answered back, feeling relief making my legs wobbly. "I need to know if you're safe!"

Now I can hear her moving around inside. Oh thank the gods..! If I believed I would be on my knees right now.

It sounds like she is moving something from the door and the lock becomes loosened, before slowly the knob begins to turn. And I swear, her face is... the most wonderful thing I have seen all day! The relief is even furthered when I see that she is completely fine and not hurt.

"Doctor... I can't believe you came back," she peeped as she let me in.

"Of course I did," I answered with a helpless and scared laugh. "I could not live with myself if you got hurt. I had to come back and make sure you were not injured."

She becomes happy, and like a ray of sunshine her smile is the only warm thing I feel all night.

"What happe-"

But I didn't want to hear anything right now. I just... needed to keep myself sane. Quickly I scooped her into my arms, and feel her lose her breath. But she is shaking with relief as well, I can hear it in her breath as she hugs me back. Her body is warm, and I can't help but revel in the heat. Tears begin to stain my coat as she sobs with both relief and fear. But it's okay, her tears mean she is okay.

She is safe.  _We_  are safe. But I knew that if we stayed here, we would not be safe for much longer.

"We can't stay here," I mumble as she finally calms down the alligator tears. Carefully with my coat I wipe them away before moving about the room. "We have to get out of here. Quick, get all of your clothes, get everything you own and we will find a suitcase. I have money, hopefully a car will-"

But she surprises me by staying stark still, and uttering only a single word.

"No."

What... What does she mean, no?

"Huh?" I asked and freeze in front of her dresser. "Brianna... We can't stay here. I have to get you somewhere safe! I have an apartment in Tokyo and we can-"

"No! We can't... They won't let us... Believe me, I wanna go home too, but... But I know that this is my home now."

She begins to cry again and quietly hangs her head. She looked so... defeated.

"Who, Brianna?" I asked desperately. "Who won't let us leave? What happened so that you are so afraid to leave?"

The poor thing is trembling, and unable to stop the huge tears from rolling down her cheeks. Before she even says anything, I can already feel the hope slipping away from my fingers.

"The _Masters_. They have finally been freed, and now we are all stuck here. Forever. Me. You. All of us who were even left alive. This is our home now. And if we try to leave... We will die."


	6. Destroy - First Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!NEW WARNINGS ADDED FOR BLOOD AND GORE!!

It was quiet for a really long time after she spoke. It’s not that I didn’t want to talk it was just… I could not find the words to respond properly.

Who were these… Masters she spoke so fearfully of? And why was she so certain we might be killed by them if we tried escaping?

“Who are they? These… People you’re afraid of. I need to know what I am dealing with.”

Brianna is silent for a while thirty seconds, and I have to look down to make sure she had not fallen asleep. But just as I am about to ask again she responded.

“They’re the ones who caused this mess… They are the ones who… Who forced us to become trapped here. They want us to go crazy. They want to toy with us.”

She stops, before slowly her head cranes to meet my eyes.

"You've been marked. Haven't you?"

Her voice was quiet. Almost scared to talk about it. We huddled into the corner of her room, with her head on my lap as we were trying to conserve as much heat as we could. I don't even know how it got like this so quickly, but after hearing nothing but silence for the past hour her voice was a surprise.

"What?" I croaked roughly. "I... What do you mean?"

Brianna sighed but didn't move. So she knew, about my mark. Was this nothing new to her?

"I can tell. You're different from when you left a few hours ago. You're.... More depressed. More cautious and wary of things you see and noises you hear. You've given up too easily."

Well if she knows...

"...Yes. I got marked. But for your own safety, I won't tell you who did it. Not until i know it wont have consequences."

Then she looked up at me, her bright blue eyes dull with exhaustion but still holding fire in them.

"You've seen my mark, and you've seen it get worse. Well now we are both on the way to being forced into a life we never wanted. Look, it looks like this now."

Then she pulled away the sweater she out on earlier to show me her neck. The moment I saw it I felt powerless. It was now as pronounced as it would get. The once faded black ring was now all a stark threatening black with the star looking like someone had just drawn on her all over. Did... Aoi do this to her? Now I wanted to know the million dollar question.

"Who did this to you?" I murmured and gently pressed my thumb to the mark. She flinched at first but then relaxed.

"I don’t know his name. It was about a week ago when it happened," she began softly. "I was being walked down to the courtyard by my nurse to get some fresh air. She had to go get me a blanket because it was cold, so she left me alone for only a moment. But that moment... It changed my life forever. A man, dressed in what I thought was a doctor's outfit, came up to me."

I could see tears welling in her eyes, so all of this... Must have really scarred her.

"He seemed... He seemed nice at first, but then... Then he grabbed me by the neck and hissed at me. Like... Like he was some kind of animal. It was horrible. But then I caught something as he was squeezing me. The hissing sounded like he was speaking in a different language. Like... Some kind of curse. Then after he let go of me he threw me down and threatened me to stay quiet or else he would kill me. I haven't told a single person for fear of my life. And every night I feel myself changing. Its changing me for the worst. And I'm scared."

Now the tears were fully rolling down her cheeks and she had to stop to collect herself. I knew this would be a problem. But... I guess I have known from the start that I needed to protect her.

It wasn't Aoi, that much I could now tell. But someone else entirely. Someone who, in my own suspicion, might be working with him. Even more reason not to trust him.

“Who marked you?” She then asked me curiously but with apprehension. I sighed.

“It was… someone who I was supposed to help,” I say truthfully, though I don’t dare say his name. If I did I was sure I would go into a fit of, mind you, well justified rage. Just seeing his face in my head made my skin crawl.

“Was he at least nice to you? How did he do it?”

Nice? Forcing me against the wall, forcefully stealing kisses from me, and kidnapping me was not something I considered to be nice. But then again, I can’t tell her that. And I can’t tell her the whole truth just yet either.

“He was at first. But all he turned out to be was another lost cause. And he… He scratched me, with a piece of broken glass.”

How was I supposed to tell her he had basically given me a hickey? But instead all I did was get this damn mark instead of a normal bruise. That’s so… _embarrassing_.

“Oh… I’m sorry for asking...”

She removed her eyes from mine and continued to tremble. This conversation was getting us nowhere.

"I won't say anymore if it makes you uncomfortable," I promised her. "But I promise. I'll find out what's going on here. And I'll keep you safe. I'll try my hardest, I swear to God."

An empty promise on my part, but it seemed to calm her down. She was still shaking but a smile, a rare bright and radiant smile, made her tears seem less important.

"Thank you. You're all I have left. After my parents abandoned me here, I thought i would be alone forever." Then she did something unexpected. Slowly she sat up and instead placed her head on my shoulder, where she got more comfortable. "But now that you are here I feel so much safer. So.... Again, thank you."

A flutter rose in my chest, a feeling I have never... Never thought I would feel again. This is bad... If i catch feelings for her, then she might, MIGHT, become too much of a weakness. She needed someone far better than me. But then again, who else was there that I could trust to look after her?

"I'm here for you. And I'll do anything I can to get us out of here."

Then I remembered something. My room... I could take her there and it will keep her safe. It was in the large house like structure not too far from here. I still hadn't seen what it looked like outside yet. Hopefully there was nothing.

"Brianna? Where is everyone? What happened to all the nurses and doctors while I was gone?"

As soon as I asked she once more grew silent and scared.

"I... I don’t know. I was in here the whole time, it was just after I had my tea that a nurse brought. I was ready to go to sleep about an hour after you left when... I heard the noises. It only lasted about twenty minutes but... My God I... I can still hear the screaming. People were yelling and panicking before I heard the most awful noises. Like the sound of something heavy hitting into... Into people as they screamed. It was all just like... It sounded so Bizarre. Like there was someone using them as batting practice. A-and then..."

Her voice began to crack, and a new horrified realization dawned on me. Something definitely went down here. Something that would forever haunt her.

"What? What is it?"

Blue eyes stared at me, her lips trembling as she spoke.

"I heard a chainsaw," she whispered, a tear threatening to spill over. "It was the most horrible noise I had ever heard in my life... There was so much screaming... Then I heard laughing. It was not normal, it sounded so maniacal and just so.... So awful! The screaming stopped but it kept going on and on... Then it finally stopped. There was a door closing then I… I heard nothing else after that..."

A chainsaw? I didn’t know the Asylum even owned any chainsaws… But there was a single problem with her story. That didn’t explain why I only found one body. If what she said was true, then why was there only one?

“I only found one nurse in there,” I countered. “If that’s true, then… Where is everyone else? Unless...”

She stared at me, her eyes still red and puffy. But I could not help but think of anything else.

“What?”

A single possibility came to mind, one that made me sick just thinking about it.

“Unless… The person you heard making all of that noise got rid of the evidence, leaving that one person behind. It’s all I can think of.”

That made her eyes widen even more and her hands shook.

“Oh… No… I… I can’t stay here,” she frets. “I need to get someplace safe before they come after me. I don’t know where else to go though!”

Hmm, maybe now would be a good time to break my idea to her. My place was covered in religious things, even if I renounced my ways surely her faith would keep her safe?

“My place is the safest place I can think of,” I finally murmur to her, starting to placate her with slow and gentle pats to her her. “There is a working shower, and lot’s of food. You will be safe there. No one can reach you, as it has the highest security systems this place can afford: a big metal door and only one key.”

I could not risk her safety any further than necessary, she has been through enough already. As for me… I had to find answers.

“What will you do?” She then peeped. “I don’t want to be alone!”

I know she didn’t. But sometimes being alone and being safe was better than being in danger out there. Aoi knew things. I guess… I guess I really did have to go back. If not for the reasons he said, then for my own. I won’t let him control me.

“Me? I have to find us a way out of this mess. Masters or no Masters, they have no right to keep us here. I won’t let it happen anymore.” I paused, and noticed as she was staring at me wide eyed. Again, I felt my heart give a small jump. Damn it… “And I have to get you out. I know you said we might die, but I have to try.”

At this point, anything would be better than sitting here forever, waiting to die of either starvation or being killed. No, I had to find a way. Brianna deserved so much more than this.

“Are you sure?” she fussed again. “Can’t we just stay there and wait out the rest of our lives there?”

She was sweet, and I could see where she was coming from. But knowing how it felt to be in her position of being trapped, I was not as complacent with the threat of death as she was. Brianna deserved a chance at a real life, not trapped here where she is in danger.

“Yes, I am sure. You should get your things together, we have a small but potentially dangerous walk ahead of us.”

At first she wanted to protest, but then I heard her stomach give a small growl. Yet another reason for us to go. I doubt there was any food left in this building. Her cheeks turned red, and I had to resist the urge to laugh despite the situation.

“Come on, up you go,” I mutter and help her to her feet. “You should put on some warmer clothes, it is freezing outside. That one blanket won’t be enough to help you.”

 

//////////////

 

I was right about it being cold. Even I had trouble hiding my shivers as we walked slowly through the now obviously abandoned building. Her backpack full of clothes weight very lightly on my back, the bare minimum of what little she had with her already. But that didn’t matter right now. This place was awful now that I had a good look.

What the hell happened..? Even in the dull light of my phone I could now clearly see evidence of something violent happening in the nurse’s station room. But I was just too blinded in my rush to get here that I did not notice the huge, awful looking smashes in the plastered wall, cracking in horribly and showing the cold brick under it. Chairs were smashed and the desk with the computer was in pieces, glass from the monitor lying about everywhere.

But what made it all even worse was… the bloody marks dried all over the white tiled floor. Puddles of it were everywhere, showing where people… died. And the puddles were disturbed. No bodies, but we both saw evidence of dragging as tracks led from all the puddles to the main door to the second floor stairwell. I was not, going back there. At least not yet.

“I… I knew I heard something,” she whimpered beside me, trying not to trip over the glass. “I knew I wasn’t going crazy… But now I wish I was instead of this...”

“Hey hey, it’s all right,” I cooed and usher her to my side, where my arm finds the dip of her waist. “Come on, you should not look at this. Just keep your eyes closed until we get to the first floor. I am certain from then on we will be safe.”

“Okay. I trust you.”

She did as I said and covered her eyes with the sleeves of the sweater hanging over her body, allowing me to guide our every step forward. Hearing her say that caused a twinge of pain to uncomfortably squeeze inside my chest. What was with that…

Ah, I can’t think about that now. I had to focus on my mission. After I make sure she is okay, I have to go and find any possible survivors. My car would be parked outside the gates to the asylum, but that was over a mile away. I had to wait there for an escort by carriage of all things, a carriage with horses. I doubt those horses were even still here. Any other escape route was unknown to me.

Finally we got to the stairwell and I pulled the blanket around her even higher to shield her face from the cold blast of air coming from the opened door. In my rush to get here I must have neglected to close it.

“Okay, we need to get downstairs. I’ll keep guiding you. Just hold on to me, it is not that far down.”

She nodded before burrowing her face into my shoulder. Now I could feel her heartbeat, and the immense relief it gave me did wonders for the anxiety and fear.

I expected the worse from these stairs, just as cold as everywhere else. And I was right. The light was gone, the cold air was ridiculous. She was still shivering, and I was certain it wasn’t just because of the cold though.

Once I got her there she would need a good warm bath and something in her stomach before having a good rest. Lord knows she deserved it.

Luckily the first floor was deserted, as not a single person walked the foyer. But I did notice something else, as was usual with my luck. The Jesus statue had been desecrated. The bronze body was still in an upright position, but the head was missing. All that was let behind was an all too familiar red trail of liquid from the neck down. Blood. Dark and stagnant, it looked like it had been there a while.

I didn’t dare let her see that.

The front doors were wide open, allowing the cold night air to seep into the foyer as a violent screeching torrent. Brianna flinched but I kept her straight on the path.

Finally, after what felt like forever, we were outside. All seemed quiet. I even stopped our footsteps to relax the tension in my muscles. The moon was blocked by thick clouds, but I could still see the brightness of the stars deep in the sky. We were almost free.

“Uruha? What happened? Why did we stop?” she peeped and peeked out of the blanket hiding her eyes. “Is something the matter?”

“No, nothing is the matter. I just… It feels really good to be out of there, finally.”

Even the old church was a sight for sore eyes. But I had no time to dilly dally. The house I had everything in was only a short distance away, just near the church. A thirty foot walk… no big deal right?

“I haven’t… been outside the main doors in a long time,” I heard her mutter as we began to walk. “I have only been to the courtyard behind the building. I don’t even remember what it looked like out here.”

Her eyes began to wander, taking in as much as the dim light would allow. She needed this. An unnecessary death in the asylum all by herself would be the most horrible fate I could think of.

“You can take it all in, but just be careful you don’t trip.”

It seemed to take forever to get there. But step by step we endured. So close, so close I could even see the light I left on in my bathroom..!

A sudden noise behind us made us freeze. Oh _fuck_.

Steps. Slow, then… then hurried, began to come towards us from he building. I didn’t even think in that moment. I just… I just acted on my first instinct.

Brianna didn’t even have time to scream as I threw the blanket over her and then her body over my shoulder and I began to run. The steps behind me increased, only pushing me harder. Now she was crying but I did not stop whatsoever.

“Uruha… Uruha I can hear him getting closer!”

Her voice in my ear was the only thing keeping me going, and my chest burned from how hard I pushed. So close..! Almost there!

My body literally rammed into the door to the house, and I slammed it behind me with a violent crack against the old wooden frame. She was wheezing through her tears, and I was certain I almost felt a lung collapse in my chest. But after slamming the lock closed and driving the metal bar into it’s slot I finally relaxed against the door. My legs were killing me...

But we were safe. Finally.

I let her down slowly, letting her relax on the couch near the steps leading up to the room.

“Are you… Okay?” I asked as I collapsed beside her. “Did I hurt you?”

She wiped her tears and caught her breath, clearly winded. But she shook her head, the pink and nearly blonde curls hiding the flush of her cheeks.

“No… I’m just… happy we made it. But… who was that chasing us?”

“I don’t know,” I admit and get a hold of my own breaths. “I need to go look. But I need to get you upstairs first. We’ll worry about it later.”

Her hair bounced as she nods, and I take her hand still with the back pack safely on my shoulders. All this excitement was not good for my heart. At this rate I will have a heart attack before I turned thirty…

But of course. I heard another noise only halfway up the small fourteen step stair case. Knocking. On the front door. Damn it! Was there no rest to be had??

A voice began to call to us, deep but playful with a clear hint of insanity.

 _“_ _Hellooooo? Anyone homeee! I only want to talk, I swear!”_

It was then that I knew. He was after me. Aoi sent this person, whoever he was, after me. I don’t know why I know, I just… I can feel it, deep inside of my head I can feel a tug ushering me to listen to the pulling. Aoi was calling for me. And despite what I wanted to do of my own will, I knew I had to go or else… Brianna would be hurt. All because of this mark.

“Go, I’ll be up soon,” I ushered her and put the backpack in her hands. “Don’t under any circumstances, allow anyone in this house who is not me. Stay in this room at all times. Keep holy water with you always. I will bring you the things you need, and I will come to visit you no matter what.”

The realization of what I am about to do seemed to finally dawn on her. Her eyes widen, and panic bubbled in her chest as her voice rose in multiple octaves. I felt horrible. Was this what guilt feels like in normal situations?

“What- no! Don’t leave me! Uruha! Please!”

Distress makes her cry again and as we enter my room she drops the backpack onto the floor and threw her arms around me. She was upset, and rightfully so. But… For her safety and mine, I had no other choice.

 _“_ _Come on! I won’t hurt anyone!”_

“I’m sorry,” I answered, squeezing her tightly and feeling the warmth of her body through the layers of fabric. “I’m so so sorry… I have to do this. I don’t want this either.”

The tightness is almost overwhelming. My chest feels like I am being buried in cement, or I am being forced under violent stormy waves.

“Then why?” she cries. “Why are you doing this?”

The truth was there for all to see. Even I was convinced she already knew, she just wanted to find another reason. But I had none.

“It’s this mark,” I begin. “I can already feel it digging deep into me like a brand. The one who made this mark on me… He is… He’s looking for me. I know he is.”

Tears the size of quarters seemed to come out of nowhere. But… I know I can’t help her by staying here. Every second is precious.

“Uruha… Please… I was able to ignore it all this time! Why can’t you?”

I couldn’t… I didn’t have time. If I wanted answers I would need to go looking for them on my own.

“Sorry but… I can’t do that. Like I said, I need to do whatever it takes.” Quietly I take her hands, squeezing them in mine. There was only one thing more important than my own life right now.

“But… but I just...”

And that was her.

“Forgive me.”

I do the only thing I can think of to calm her down. It may be wrong, it may be too soon. But all I know was that it… was probably the best thing to do. My lungs filled with a heavy breath, and I brought her close for a soft and gentle kiss. Innocent, but brief, it effectively stopped her tears. Warm, and softer than anything I had felt before, her lips were quivering like leaves in the wind.

But I could not let it capture me. I took my opportunity and pulled away, gently brushing back her hair to stare into wide saucer like eyes.

She really was so lovely. She didn’t deserve this half life. I will do anything I can.

“I’ll come back soon. Lock the door.”

And like that I left her in the room, making sure to stay to hear the lock before taking in a deep breath.

I had to kiss her. There wasn’t anything else I could think to do.

“Come on in there! Boss man is getting impatient! Don’t make me break down this door!”

Damn it… Without answering I began to walk to the door, gritting my teeth as I walked. The knocking grew insistent, and it was annoying.

“I am here,” I called back just to stop the knocking. “Don’t knock down the door, please.”

“Ah!” the voice exclaimed, and the knocks thankfully ceased their noise. “I was about to push down this damn door! Hurry up, he is not a patient man!”

Who cares if Aoi was patient or not? I didn’t. If he wanted me back, he had to wait. And if he would not cooperate with me, then I would leave again. I don’t care.

The door was the only thing separating me from an unknown and potentially dangerous psychopath. Caution at this point was my best friend. I take an other breath and start to undo the locks, slowly and purposefully. Then it opens, and I swear I nearly slammed it closed again.

Another man stood there, dressed in a mock doctor’s outfit. Crazed gray eyes sat behind a white but bloodstained doctor’s mask, and a leering grin met my own scowl. Light brown hair was an unruly mess, and his face was stained with red splotches of… well, blood.

But as I saw the bat on his back being balanced in his fingers almost lazily I shivered. A bat… It was covered in barbed wire and dripped with crimson, both old and new.

 _“_ _There you are,”_ the man chuckled in a deep menacing voice. _“I’ve been looking for you. Aoi is making this easier and easier.”_

Ugh… If this wasn’t a trap I don’t know what was. Still, I held my tongue and grit my teeth even tighter. If this psycho tried anything, I would run.

“Ugh, fine… Take me to him. He has some questions that I need answered.”

Then he grinned at me, and I let the door fall closed as I left Brianna behind. Hopefully… This would not be the last time.

Whatever Aoi had in store for me, I would always come back. For her.


	7. Bloom - First Night

Reita was strange, far more than he had come across to me at first. The happy go lucky bounce of his steps did little to hide the true insanity locked away in his eyes. They watched me like a hawk would watch it’s prey, keeping me in front of him so I wouldn't try to run. But... Where would I run?

"Why did you run from me? I was sure you were not that stupid when I first saw you."

His voice, laced with a deadly curiosity, reached out to me as we approached the third floor. I stopped as did he. Why did he want to know that?

"What else was I to do?" I said without turning around. "When you run up behind someone like that their first instinct is usually to run as they think that they're about to be killed."

He Then laughed, a sound that rattled me to my nerves. That sound made me keep walking and he followed suit. I hated the sight of this corridor now. Knowing what happened in here...

"Pff, trust me. If I laid even a finger on you, the boss man would flay me to my bones. I have plenty of things in life I still want to do. People to kidnap, things to steal, more people to kill. Deals to make, deals to break et cetera et cetera."

Deals? What does he mean by deals? Or... Is it What happened to him and Brianna? The marks, the feeling of being controlled.... Was it all the same?

"Remind me to thank Aoi for that," I mumble sarcastically. "I'd much rather die at the hands of a psychotic killer with sharp teeth than another with a bat."

At that Reita only laughs at me and taps the bat to the ground. Ugh another chill...

"You're funny. I can see why the boss man has taken an interest in you, but he made it a pretty big deal for me to get you here in one piece. So if you want him to continue to hold you in such high esteem, then I suggest you start respecting his wishes much more often."

The corridor looked no different. I had only been away for a few hours but... Everything was the same. Dark. Cold. However what was different was that it now... Had people in it. Or rather who I thought were people... I began to realize that I was wrong.

Three other people were in a small circle in the hallway, huddled in a serious discussion.

Horror settles in my stomach as we approached them and I spotted HIM. The person who ruined my life.

He looks different. His hair was now short as opposed to the once neck length I was used to seeing. It was now sort of spiked as well, going this way and that. He wore an all black shirt and dark black pants. A gray sequined jacket hung on his shoulders with a white inline as far as I could tell. Soft charcoal eyes were lined to make his eyes look very disgustingly handsome.

He was now extremely... Ugh, and I hate to even think of it... Extremely... Good looking. And just for thinking that I wanted to throw myself off the nearest balcony.

"Aoi-San," Reita squawked loudly behind me. "I brought your toy back. No scratches just as I promised."

Then his eyes snapped to us immediately, and he spotted me. I felt the tug I'm my skull as our eyes connected, and a shiver heats up my spine turning my legs into jelly.

He was looking at me like he would at something like a pet that ran away. And I hated the feeling of relief in my brain as he came ever closer. Oh God what is happening to me?

"Uruha. You are very late, but I can forgive that," he began softly, his twisted smile lighting up his face. "Come here. My body grows cold."

His hand stretched outwards to me, and I felt helpless. Like something inside my brain took control of my legs I could not stop myself from going to him. And it felt... awful.

Feeling his hands go around me made a plethora of emotions go through me. Disgust. Relief. Self hatred. Desperation. All of which only made the pain worse. His cold body was just as freezing as I remember. And as they encircled me in a tight hug, his arms forced the air from my lungs.

I did not speak. I could not even put what I was feeling into words. So I could only stand there as he coddled me, feeling him... kiss the mark on my neck. Ugh. By this time, Reita walked away to meet up with the other two people here. It was dark so I could not see their faces.

"Did you feel me calling to you?" he whispered as those creepy kiss stealing and oddly warm lips trail to my ear. "I was sure you would be here sooner, but I guess you're still getting used to being under someone else's control aren't you?"

Now I just can't help but to scoff.

"What do you think?" I asked back sarcastically.

"I would imagine so," he then sighed and pulled back, putting his hands back onto my shoulders. "But I suppose you and I have time to work out the kinks. So. What do you think of my look? Fitting, for one of my status, don't you think?"

"Status? What are you talking about exactly?" I say and try not to meet his eyes. "Last time I checked you were just supposed to be another patient in another mad house. You were just a bit more different in terms of the things you have done."

Including more than a few transgressions against me of course...

"Oh no," he began to laugh, his hands gripping tighter. "No no no, my dear you are mistaken. I am not like you, I told you this. Not just in terms of social status, but also of psychological status. But we should go and talk elsewhere before someone nosy butts their heads in."

Like I would care who he thinks he is. If it weren't for this damned mark, I would see him as just another psycho on the loose. But... I know better now.

"Fine. I have things I want answered," I grumbled and stuck my hands in my coat. "But don't expect me to be putty in your hands."

If I was going to comply I wasn't going to be happy about it.

"Come, my room has been... fixed up to accommodate us both."

"Fixed?"

He led me back to his room, past the mysterious hooded figures, and into what used to be a patient room, and what was now a... An eerie and darker version of that. The bed was replaced to be bigger than a twin, and a deep crimson canopy surrounded the wooden posts surrounding the bed frame. Red and black splattered the once gray walls. And a...a blade, about half the width of my arm but just as long sat on the pillow.

What did he think this was? A honeymoon suite for murderers?

"What Do you think?" He asked and gently shoved me into the room and slams the door loudly. "More than enough for us both, right?"

"Are you kidding me?"

Did he think i was his newly wedded and blushing wife? I don't even know him!

"No. I'm not," he said, gently pushing me past the plush leather chairs he probably salvaged or stole from somewhere. "I fully intend for you to be here with me as I find a way to solve my problems. Why do you think I marked you?"

"Uh, because... You're insane?" I tried. But that didn't seem to sit right with him. Maybe I really did have a death wish.

"Uruha... Look. I'll put it plainly so you will understand. Then maybe you'll behave better."

Then he pushed me down to The bed before throwing his legs over me, trapping me against the covers. Ugh not this again..!

His eyes darken to a dark gray, and his teeth bare at me in a sharp smile.

"This Mark," he began slowly under his breath as he palmed my new tattoo. "This. Is what makes us different. If it isn't by now already obvious to you I'm not at all human. I'm what you would call a... A demon? Though its not entirely all that accurate."

A... A demon? What..? Is this... Is this for real?

"Huh..? What... Are you saying You're a..?"

Aoi was a... A demon. A fucking. Demon. Why did this make sense? After everything that has happened? Now I could see the pieces falling into place. The mark. The feeling of being unable to control my own actions...

"A demon. But I would prefer it if you didn't call me a monster. I just do what I know is instinct. And there are only a few things a humble man like me wants in this cruel world."

His arms push me down, and I have to turn my head as he once more leans down and starts to press his lips to my skin, specifically onto my mark.

"Desire. Lust. Both for pleasure and... for one other thing."

I want to push him off. So badly I want to just run. Feeling his hands running all up and down my body gave me an innate shiver. Again. I hated it and how hot my body felt when his fingers brushed up against my shirt.

"Why me? Why me out of anyone else?"

But... But if anything... I wanted to hit myself in the face because of how my body was reacting to him. I wanted to recoil but instead my hips arched into his touch. Did he do this make me suffer on purpose?

"Because I knew you were just as fucked as I am," he breathed outwards and squeezed onto my thigh, almost gently. "I could feel the negative energy radiating from your body... You try so hard to be positive. You try so very hard... But in the end we both know that your hope is for nothing. You and I are so very much alike, yet from different worlds. So I knew I had to snatch you up before any one else could. And before you truly found your place in  **that**  world."

He says that last bit with a venom I have never heard before. His teeth begin to drag across the mark in a harsh scraping and it hurt. Is he trying to break the skin??

"Ow! Stop it!" I protested. "Get off of me already!"

I tried to shove him away but he just pressed his teeth in deeper. Now he was really going to tear my throat open!

"You complain too much," he growled and finally let me go. "You're fine, stop struggling."

"Of course I'm gonna struggle, you nearly bit my throat open!"

How else did he expect me to react??

But all he does is roll his eyes and rub at my mark.

"I just strengthened it a little bit. To keep you from running away from me. And..." he leaned in, now closer to me and threatening me with his lips close to my face. Please don't kiss me... "I can smell her. A woman's scent is all over you. Your clothes and your skin are soaked in sadness and tears. Is she your girlfriend? Are you being unfaithful to me?"

Unfaithful?

"You are not who I am being unfaithful to," I snapped back at him, trying to glare to the best of my extent. "And in any case she is a patient of mine, I have to save her from this horrible life that you've forced onto us."

I didn't dare tell him anything else. If I exposed her, her life would be in danger. But that still seemed to disappoint him, because he shook his head before digging his nails into the sheets beside my head.

"Let us get one thing clear, Uruha. This mark? It's my seal, which gives me power over you. You cannot break it, no matter what. You can't lie to me, I will know it. You can't run, your body will only yearn for me the further and further you go. You. Belong. To me"

Ugh... What the hell. Why was I cursed to such an awful life?

"You made it worse??"

Here he grinned at me again, and I flt a chill run down my spine.

" _ **Strengthened**_ it. Hopefully this will make you trust me more."

Trust him. Huh. That was the worst joke I have heard all night.

"How do I know I should trust you not to kill me?" I pressed, turning my head away. "Or her, for that matter?"

But he grabbed my chin and forced my eyes to meet his. His teeth were gleaming at me and his eyes seemed to burn with fire.

"It is only because I know it will turn you against me," is all he mumbles as an answer. Then finally, he climbed off of me, allowing me reprieve as he lays on the side next to me. I still can't move my legs... "If I had any power over it, she would not even be alive anymore. Besides, I know she has been marked as well, however it was not by me. You may want to talk to Ruki about that."

Then in an instant I can move, and I am scrambling to the chairs to put distance between us. I have to ignore that threat on her life for now...

"Who is Ruki?" I grumble back, holding my sore neck. "Is he the one who marked her?"

Aoi lazily rolled about on the bed, obviously bored. What an asshole... He put his hands behind his head on the pillow, staring up at the canopy.

"I don't know, maybe. I don't wanna talk about it. Now, if that is all behind us, I know you have questions. I'll only answer them if you answer mine."

Is he seriously going to ignore what he just did to me? Well, I guess people who were insane tended to let their minds... wander. Ugh. I am going to get him back for this. But to business, the reason I was here in the first place was for my answers. And damn it, I was not going to let him scare me into submission. First things first.

"I've already asked mine," he chuckled from beside me. "Now I'll answer one of yours."

Here, I needed to know  _who_ the fuck he was.  _How_ he managed to infiltrate this place, and  _why_ he was here. These things were important, to further the things I knew so I could survive.

"I just need to know who you are, what you are planning, and how you managed to get here. If you're a demon, I thought you were supposed to be in hell."

His smile never left. But he seemed more than pleased to hear me ask him those questions.

"Well, if you're going to help me do it, I see no harm in answering. All right, I'll bare what little of my soul is left." Then he sat up and faced me, just like before. Except now, he was in the position of power, and I was the one who was vulnerable against him. "I'm a demon yes, but a specific kind. I am not a torturer in hell, like what most humans would see us as. There are tiers, certain systems. I am in what you would call a scouting system, or the third tier beneath the big bosses. The demons in my system are put into groups of up to four and sent here to find more people to either recruit as our underlings or bring them to a well deserved justice. There are leaders assigned to these groups, and that leader is me. I was human once, but it's been about... a few hundred years now I think? I don't know, the time tends to blur."

"Social justice? What does that mean?" I couldn't help but to ask. I don't know if I was in shock, or if I was just super numb, but for some reason my brain was taking to this surprisingly well.

"Sins of all caliber are counted in Hell. Murder, rape, kidnapping, et cetera. I am indeed a killer, but I am a killer of sinners."

So... the people he killed were...

"All those women you killed. They were... sinners? Bad enough to warrant a demon coming after them?"

He smiled.

"Of course. We don't kill without reason." he laughed. "The first one? She was a serial kidnapper, taking children from their parents and putting them in abusive homes for money. The second one? Hmm... I think she killed two of her infant children and claimed SDS for both? The third I believe killed all of her ex husbands for their money and set about three buildings on fire, while children were still sleeping inside. The rest seemed to blur together. All were members of the same church, and all were awful people. All of them now have nice spots in hell to call their own."

Aoi became wistful, sighing as he recalled the information going through his brain.

"Where did all the other people and patients go?"

He sighed again, now annoyed.

"Hiding. Anything else? So, I answered that question. So now I have one for you, baby doll," he peeped and let his eyes slide over to me. "Regarding your uh... current position. Why don't you believe?"

"Huh?"

Is he talking about my front as a Holy man?

"Your Faith, it is clearly a front," he says blankly. "What happened so that you are so dismissive of the one thing that most of the world depends on?"

Oh... this question again. I hated this one. It... it made my memories blur together and a horrible pain settled in my chest. What did he plan to do about it?

"It's not important," I started and curled up on the chair. "But I agreed to answer your questions in place of mine so... When I tell you, I want you to promise me you... won't do anything about it. I can't be helped, and it's old news."

Immediately his eyes hardened, and there I saw a fire igniting deep inside of them. It was so intense I had to look away.

"Tell me. Tell me what happened. Now."

Ugh... I hate this. I hate this so fucking much. The shakes were already starting up... Why was this happening?

"Well... I was... small. I was a little boy, and my parents took me to a church near my house. Everything seemed to be going well for about a year, but.. when I... When I turned fourteen the Pastor started looking at me. In... In a creepy way. He made me an altar boy and... And then I had to stay late... It went on for a whole two years and... I think you know just from that where I am going with this, right?"

I still didn't look up. But... In my brain I felt it. A rage deep inside of him began to stir and I shook even worse. All the repressed memories went even deeper and I didn't dare let that... memory come back to me. Not now.

"Who?"

I could hear him next to me, pissed and murderous. My chest burned and I could feel all the anger he was feeling and it only made the ache worse.

"I don't remember," I finally admit and pushed myself away from the chair to walk in front of the door. "The memories have already buried themselves deep into my brain. And I don't want to force myself to remember it. I've already said too much."

I just needed to have a rest. This is what I was talking about, the information I had long since buried inside of myself was already threatening to drive me nuts. Ugh... Now he knows.

"Uruha," he then spoke up from behind as he followed me. "Look at me. Look at me, now."

My legs stopped. Everything stopped. I had almost forgot, he was in my head. And I... I could not resist him. Not anymore.

A shuddering breath ripped itself from my chest and I nearly collapsed to the floor. But he was there, in front of me and forcing me to stay upright with an arm at my waist and the other at my face.

"Don't... I need to go outside," I weakly said but my body didn't do anything about it. "I can't breathe..."

Aoi stayed still, he knew I couldn't force myself away. He must know then by now that I hated it.

His mouth pressed a soft kiss to my ear, and I shivered helplessly. It was cold, and it made me lock up in both fear and anticipation.

"Uruha," he whispered. "Let me make one thing clear. You're mine now. I can feel you, inside and out. I can feel your fear, I can feel your hate. And I can feel your sorrow, your pain. Your enemies are now my enemies, but your friends are strangers. You can't run, your body will only yearn for me the further and further you go. You. Belong.  _To me."_

He only repeated what he said before. But only now, as his mouth finds my face and my lips I can feel it hitting me. His tongue was soft, thoughtful. and it only served to hurt me even more. My heart was breaking, literally.

My chest collapsed and I... I couldn't feel the pain anymore. All I could feel... was him. I only wanted to know one more thing. If I was forced into this then... Now... I...

"Aoi," I whined, and tried to keep my lips from finding his again. My body wanted comfort but I can't let that happen. Even as he pressed kiss after kiss to my cheek, I wanted nothing more than to leave and deny myself what I wanted.

"Yes?" he murmured, his voice husky from the kiss.

"Does this mean... that you like me? Or love me, o-or whatever?"

He stops his kissing, and a cynical smile crossed his devastating lady killer face.

" _Very rarely does a demon feel what he felt in life, and only time would reveal the answer. Such is the curse of immortality and to feel the brush of death's kiss so very close to us is our only solace._ "

It was vague but... That was all I had to know. And my body sighed in relief as tears finally broke free. I hated that my heart was already piecing itself together. 


	8. Darkness - First Night/Second Morning

Aoi is so... So...  _selfish_. And in this already short time I know that now better than anyone.

I wanted to leave and meet the other patients but... Well I guess I should not call them patients anymore. Being free from their cells kind of takes that away I guess. But... Yes, I wanted to meet them, but Aoi decided he hadn't had enough of me. And as much as I wanted to leave or punch him in the face, he had control over me.

I was once again forced to lay on the bed, where he held me tightly as though he was a dragon hoarding the poor princess in a fairy tale. Well I sure as hell didn't feel like one. And I was certain there was no knight I'm shining armor who could save me from this. As far as Aoi was concerned, he  _was_  the knight in shining armor.

Yeah right. The moment he becomes that knight is when I believe that God could actually help me.

He ripped away my coat and forces me to wear the sweatpants from before I left, leaving my chest cold. The bed was freezing but... The feeling of him spooning me from behind only made that feeling even more worse.

This was like a nightmare. One I could not wake up from no matter how much I tried.

What was worse still, his hands would not stop feeling up my legs. I already knew he was a terrible sinner, but still... This was just excessive. Yet I knew that if I said anything he could hurt me.

"Your hands are cold," I complained as he continuously felt me up. "Please stop it..."

"I can't help it," he chuckled at me darkly, his voice thick with desire. "Its been so long since I felt such a desire to feel such warm succulent flesh on my own like this."

Then he trailed up, smoothing his palms over my hips as they stuck out of my sweatpants. Why did he have to put me in such revealing clothes? Oh, right. Selfish demon.

"You're making me uncomfortable," is all I can think to say back. "I don't like this at all."

Though he knew I was being dishonest from the way my legs quivered as he squeezed down between my thighs. Oh God don't tell me I have a sensitive spot there!

"Uruha you're so dishonest," he laughed right in my ear. "But I guess that's part if the challenge isn't it? Your body is telling me the exact opposite of what your mouth is."

"Gee I wonder why that is... When we waste time like this instead of discussing the terms of my captivity like you promised, then yes, dishonesty is certainly a given in this situation."

I've always had a smart mouth. But there were never times when I could use it properly. Not until now.

We were supposed to be going over what was allowed and what wasn't. I didn't try to run away and he won't try to rip my throat out.

A low hum rumbles in his chest and I can feel it through my back. Then I feel his hand slowly snake up to my chest, and I hated the disgusting heated shiver that passed through me. My body was betraying me. I just want to die.

"You sure have a sharp tongue.  But I wonder how sharp it really can be once I discover everything you have to hide from me."

Then he lets his hands trail to my chest, and I almost bite on my tongue as electric shocks jolted through me. Then like the bastard he was he flicked at my nipples but once, making me finally snap at him.

"Ugh, you're such a perverted and pretentious asshole," I snapped at him but with far less venom than I intended. "You... Ngh, planned this obvious trap from the start didn't you?"

And I fucking fell for it. Of fucking course.

"What can I say?" He mumbled as his hands continued to work their treachery. "I am a selfish Bastard with no regards to the needs of my prey. Now that you're in my web why don't we talk? I know you must be dying to tell me what it is you want from me in return for your compliance and well being."

How does he expect me to talk when he is basically molesting me?

"You know exactly what it is that I want," I growled at him in a frustrated huff. "My own life is useless now. But the least you could do is make sure... Nn, that Br.... My friend... Is safe. Damn it, would you stop that already??"

I tried to move my hands to slap his away but he kept me held down, making sure I failed. Was this amusing to him?

"Since I didn't mark her I can't exactly make you solid promises. All i can promise is a safe place for her here on this floor. She is all alone isn't she? Alone. Weak. Defenseless... Who knows what could be lurking around that house right Now..."

As he spoke his hands made small circular motions around my chest and I could feel his fingers trailing along the indents of my ribs. He is counting them, I can tell. But for whatever reason, I could not bring myself to care.

"You have to promise me that I get to see her. At least... If not all day than at least once a day."

I could tell that didn't please him. His hands tightened on me, and if he tightened any more he might give me bruises. Again. My body felt numb to the pain.

"I hope you're not planning to do anything with her," he threatens in my ear, his teeth brushing against it. "Or it could end up very badly, and not just for you. We demons don't like to share toys that belong to us."

He isn't hiding his obsession with me at all is he?

"Of course not," I quickly denied. "I'm not that dim witted, and besides... I know that her mind is vulnerable. She needs a doctor to help her through the demons plaguing her mind. To pursue something as strenuous as romance with her would only serve to weaken her more. That's why she needs me."

He grew silent, and I could feel from our connection that he was thinking it over. Was he actually listening? For once?

"If we give her safe haven," he began, his teeth softly starting to nibble against my ear. "Ruki would need to be the one to protect her, as he is the one who Marked her. Their bond will kill her if they don't stay together at least for a few hours every day. And he can get possessive... Are you fine with that?"

Oh. Now he asks me what it is that I want. What other choice do I have?

"Just promise me she won't get hurt because of them, or else I will make this even harder for you than I already have been."

He laughed, and his hands made a ring right at my ribs. Trapped like a damn rat. Yet again. He pulled the thick comforter over our bodies and tangled his legs into mine. Great... Not only is he the worst, most selfish and greedy asshole ever, but he is also a cuddler. How wonderful for me.

"Mm fine. But we'll discuss more terms later," he said and suddenly yawned. "It's late, and we have much to do once morning comes around. So I suggest you rest."

"What about... About my friend?"

He sighed, clearly unwilling to talk about her.

"We'll go after her in the morning... Right now you need to go to sleep."

Clearly he wasn't expecting me to argue. But even though he was right, I didn't really feel tired in the least. My mind was too on edge right now.

I mean... I was in bed with a crazed and obsessive demon who was hell bent on making me his slave. And he was expecting me to just sleep next to him after he turns my entire life upside down??

Not to mention, I have no idea what he means by 'work,' as he hasn't exactly discussed his plans in excruciating detail. That was enough to make me incredibly anxious.

"At least have the decency to let go," I huffed. "I can't sleep unless I have room to move around and with you hanging onto me that will be impossible."

Aoi was not a fan of that, I could tell by the way he tightened his hold around me.

"If I do that you'll run away."

"How? You have someone standing guard outside the door right now. I'll be dead before I can make it ten feet."

Another unamused sigh.

"Uruha you're being very difficult."

"Am not. I just need breathing room."

I was actually. But... It wasn't like I could outright admit that to his face.

"How about I just make you fall asleep? Then morning will come quicker and you can talk to your friend even quicker."

"How do you plan to do that?"

"My connection to you allows me to change the chemicals in your brain so you feel what I feel," he explained, now sounding tired. "And I am very exhausted so I need your consent before I do so."

To make me fall asleep?

"Like you needed my consent to mark me?" I asked skeptically. "Somehow I find that hard to believe."

Aoi then huffed impatiently. Am I pissing him off? Good. I hope so.

"Look, once I mark someone I need permission before I do anything else to them. Now, can I do it or can I not?"

OK now he was getting ticked off. It would have been enjoyable had my life not been in his hands. Well... I guess I can be pissy about this later, if my brain wants to argue I need to actually rest.

"Fine," I finally relented. "But don't try to kiss me in my sleep or anything weird like that."

Then he turns me around so I am being forced to look at him. His face is sullen, and there are dark shadows under his eyes. Has he... Not been sleeping? Why did I never notice those before?

"Then I guess I should get my fill of you right now?"

Oh no. Nononono-

"Don't you da-"

He did not listen. As usual. The moment I so much as opened my mouth about it, his tongue was already smothering me. My whole body latched onto the connection and I could sense, feel the exhaustion. His hand coaxed my neck into his fingers, where they tangled into my hair to hold me closer.

I can feel it dominating me as the kiss turned heavy, and I feel like I'm going to pass out. They feel desperate, and I'm helpless as my body wants nothing more but to meet each one just as desperately. The lazy but bruising motions cause electricity. He tastes like tea...

I hate it. I hate that I can't stop. I hate that as much as I want to tell him off, I couldn't even do that anymore.

My body was a slave. A slave to his toxic touch and the mind numbing kisses. Even now, I can feel all the bones in my body melting at his touch, in his presence alone. Just like a puppet doing whatever its master says as his strings are plucked and manipulated. A whine bubbles in my chest as his tongue slowly and deliberately pressed itself to the inside of my cheek.

Is this what... Pure sin feels like? To feel helpless to pleasure as it clouded your mind? I think it must be so... There is no way something can feel like this and not be considered to be sin. This is the final nail in my coffin now. He has won and I can't escape.

Finally the burning of my chest is what snaps me out of it, and he feels it too. Aoi twined his tongue over mine one last time before pulling back so we could breathe. What the hell just happened there..? I lost myself didn't I?

Now I can feel his tiredness, the exhaustion lingering in his body. I just want to rest...

"So eager aren't you?" he pants, pressing our foreheads together as a sleepy smile crossed his now kiss bruised lips. "Sleep now. We have more time for this when we wake up."

God... I really am pathetic.

"Don't... get used to it," I weakly argued and tried pushing away. "I got lost in the moment, that is all that was."

He laughed and held me to his chest, not allowing me to escape. I was too tired to resist.

"Good night, baby doll."

My heart dropped to my stomach again. He kissed me one last time. But I was already out before I could respond.

///////////////

I had a nightmare. For the first time in almost ten years I was helpless to the thoughts plaguing my brain. It was bad. Bad in the worst way. My sleep was interrupted sometime just as the sun was barely breaking through the early morning clouds. My chest hurt. I could not even breathe.

I saw my old life. My parents, my sisters and small nephews. The best friends i had in high school and the ones I had in college. My apartment... The small cat I left behind.

It was a nightmare because I knew I could never go back to how it was. My life was no longer mine to control, and as such was no longer an issue. It hurts. Aoi took all of that away from me and all I can do is helplessly go along with his wishes. The reality of my situation must finally be hitting me.

Why did I come here? Why did I try to be a hero and help people? No one has ever helped me before. Not when I broke my arm, or fell ill to pneumonia and almost died. So why did I think I could help?

Everything felt numb. My body was still tired but my mind was racing a million miles every minute. It's... Really over for me isn't it?

My breath was shaky as I looked around myself. Aoi was gone, his side of the bed was still cold. But I could feel him outside. He was waiting for me to get up. Well... I guess now is as good a time as any to face the music.

He left me some clothes all folded up on the chair near me. Clothes that were... Clearly not mine. Is he crazy? And where is he getting all of these clothes??

"What the... Is he serious right now?" I asked to myself. "Why can't I just wear my own damn clothes? He really is a pervert..."

There was a pair of black latex shorts and a garter belt attached to them. They barely fit and exposed my legs to a vulnerable amount... And the leather body suit he gave me had so many various zippers that I barely figured out how to put it on.

This is so embarrassing... I stared at myself in the mirror he had hanging from the door. I could not believe it... Is that really me there?

Then I felt him tug on my connection, and he was getting impatient. I really want to hit him.

"I'm coming," I grumble and try to pull the shorts down even more to hide my legs before attempting to fix my hair. "I think he can wait a bit longer."

I just hope he does not plan on doing anything indecent to me. I have things to do today. Including but not limited to making sure Brianna was okay, and hoping that the guy that marked her would not try to kill her. But... This situation was incredibly weird. What would she think if she saw me in this.... Outfit? For lack of a better word.

Only one way to find out.

The door was creaky, and I felt cold air all over my legs. But it was nothing when I saw them all finally together. Aoi. Reita. And one other guy as well. Ruki, I assume. He was a lot smaller than the other two. Wasn't there a fourth one?

But that thought left my brain as Aoi spots me finally. Ugh, his eyes have gone immediately south. What a pervert.

"Uruha! Come over here!"

His voice was less as ragged as last night, but he still had those dark circles. Ugh and now, he had something weird going on. A gas mask was clutched in his fingers with tubes going all over the place. What is he doing?

Reita was in that fake doctors outfit, as was Ruki. He had a pair of glasses over his nose and gloves on his slender fingers. He seemed nervous about something. Well he did mark someone who needed to be near him always... It took all I had not to strangle him. But how was I gonna go up against a demon? He may be smaller but I am certain I do not stand a chance.

"This is him?" The smaller one inquired as Reita slung an arm around him. "He knows where to find the one with my Mark?"

Aoi grabbed my arm and yanked me to him, smiling at me without missing a beat.

"Yes. And now we're going to go get her," he promised and once more let his eyes slide over my body. "Make sure her room is fully comfortable. We don't want her to run away and get hurt. Do we?"

Ruki quickly shook his head, clearly anxious. Beside him Reita was glowering, and he was... clearly jealous.

"Yes... I picked out a helper out from one of the nurses for her too. I made sure she was nice, a-and I even stuffed a bunch of beautiful clothes in the dressers! I just hope she likes it up here..."

They clearly thought this through didn't they... Ugh. I hope he isn't as possessive as Aoi says he is.

"Did you have a nice sleep?" He asked me once Reita leads Ruki away.

"Sure," I answered and yawned. "Sleeping in an asylum sure took all of my worries away..."

The hand he had at my hip tightened and I felt his nail dig into my skin. I don't even care anymore at this point. He started to lead me to the door and nestled his head on my shoulder. Good thing he was around the same height or else it would be weird... Hell it was already weird but I digress.

"You'll get used to it eventually," he growled in my ear, grinning as he did so. "Now. We have lots of important work to do today, baby doll. First order of business? Human rehabilitation."

I sighed. I could already tell I was dreading for her to see me like this. And the fact that he knew I could not back out made that worse.

"And? What other things do 'we' have to do?" I can't help but to ask, now curious. He fixed his hair and then slipped the mask over his face with buckles in the back. "What's that for?"

"You'll see. This is so I don't rip out her throat the minute I see her. Precautions, baby doll."

"What??"

Did he just threaten her??

"No worries, I just have issues don't worry about it. Just keep her at a safe distance. Now come on, we should not keep her waiting."

Ugh fine... I just hope that he explains all of this to me. That way I won't have to punch him in the face.


	9. Jealousy - Second Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> VERY BRIEF NSFW

The moment they met I could feel a suffocating chill in the air. Eyes connected together in a deadlock and fear met with hatred. Terror with jealousy. Innocence with sin.

Aoi was glaring daggers into my back as we stood in the room I left her in yesterday. It must have gotten too much because he loudly sighed every chance he got.

She was confused and terrified, wondering why I was in her room with another of the creatures that was plaguing her all this time. She was in a plain white nightgown and cowering under the bed sheets that I once called my own.

"U-Uruha?" She peeped fearfully, hiding her face behind the comforter. "W-what's going on? Why is he here? And... Why are you dressed like that?"

"Brianna," I began slowly to calm her down. "Please relax, I'm not here to do anything bad. I came to check on you to make sure you were safe and sound."

Her head slowly nodded and she bites her lip.

"Yes... I'm okay. But I don't understand whats going on..."

I didn't mean to scare her. Maybe having Aoi so close would be too much for her.

"Aoi," I mumbled to get his attention. "Maybe you should wait outside in the hallway. You're making her nervous."

He stated at me. First blankly, then with suspicion.

"Seriously?" He huffed and like the drama queen he was rolled his eyes. "Fine. But you have five minutes to get her all ready. Then we're leaving."

He reached for the door handle to the room and gave me one last pointed stare before leaving, nearly slamming the door on its frame. God I really do want to punch him in the face.

"Is... Is he.... Is he the one who..."

She wanted to talk but I could still tell that this was overwhelming. That is okay. I was here to help.

"Yes," I answered truthfully. "He was the one that marked me. Now I have no choice but to follow his lead. Or else this mark will kill me sooner than I can blink."

Her eyes seemed to droop as I said that and her breaths became ragged. Was she having trouble breathing? A side effect of the Mark?

"Is that why I feel like I'm dying?" She rasped. "I need to be... Close to the one that did this to me?"

Brianna wanted nothing to do with her Marker, that I could tell. But she also didn't want to die, not this early.

"I'm afraid so," I said softly and sit on the edge of the bed. "Which brings us to why I am here. They have started to set up a room for you in the main building. A nurse has been picked to be your helper. There are plenty of clothes and other things to get you through while I try to solve this mystery of ours. But I can only do that if you help me."

I didn't want to pile all of this on her after only one day, but... I want her to live. I want her to survive so that she might have a better life. Even if this point now is awful, I know that I can make it better. It was too late for me, but it was never too late for her.

"I... I don't know. W-what if they try to kill me?" she whimpered. "I still don't even know what he is like! And he was so mean to me when he Marked me! He threatened to kill me!"

Oh yeah. I had almost forgotten... But Ruki was so nervous looking when me and Aoi left, he didn't seem like the violent type. Then again, I don't know the guy at all. So what am I saying?

"I know... Aoi, the one who Marked me, he said that if Ruki tried anything, then he would straighten him out. He won't hurt you, you're connected to him now. I know it sounds scary but this is how it all works out. And If he does, then I will be right there with you."

She contemplated that, still shaking. I know, she needs time.

"Do I... have to be around him all the time?" she inquired, slowly lowering the comforter below her eyes.

"No, just as long as he is at least in a fifteen foot diameter from you, then you'll be okay. It doesn't have to be every single day either, a few times a week maybe. Aoi explained it to me on the way here."

As much as I hate to admit it, he was the only one who could help us. There is no doubt in my mind that this isn't the last time he would help.

Brianna finally seemed to be calm enough to ask me another question without stuttering.

"So... They won't hurt me. And they aren't hurting you either?"

I laughed and pressed down on my annoying leather top to keep it from sliding.

"If they did Aoi would raise hell," I answered. "Whatever pain I feel, he feels. And he isn't exactly the type to enjoy pain when it is inflicted on him and not his enemies."

I had to speed this up, Aoi was not exactly patient. And leaving me alone with a woman was probably wearing away on his nerves. How ever I could not find it in me to care.

"So... Is he going to explain what all of this mess is about?" she asks, hopeful. "Then maybe I won't be as freaked out."

I hope so.

"I should think so," I laughed again. "If not, I have my own way of raising hell. So, what do you say? I'll protect you, in case anything or anyone tries to hurt you I will always be here for you."

This was better for both of us. Staying near our Markers without actually becoming attached was all we could hope for. Though, I could not say the same for Aoi or Ruki, as I saw how they were already. Aoi especially...

Slowly she pushes away the covers and swings her legs over the bed, slowly but in a non defensive way. Was she finally seeing that I was just trying to help?

"Okay... If you're there," she peeped quietly and stood up. "Then... I think I can handle that. Just... keep him away from me as much as possible. I'll just stay in my room if I can help it. I don't trust him, and I might never trust him."

"That's okay," I assured her. "I don't even trust Aoi yet, it's a... a work in progress."

I could feel Aoi growing irritated, and he was waiting just down the steps for us. Might as well hurry this up.

"So do I need to bring all my clothes?" she asked.

"Hmm... I don't think so, maybe just the bare essentials. Otherwise, they have already figured out what clothes to get for you while you're here. Though I have yet to see them for myself."

I hope Ruki isn't as much of a pervert as Aoi is and has only leather in mind... Otherwise I will be the one to get her some clothes, come hell or high water.

"Okay. Can you step outside so I can change..?"

A pink blush dusts her cheeks and I can already feel the embarrassment radiating off of her. Was I making her nervous again?

"Of course, I'll be waiting downstairs. Aoi isn't... exactly the most patient man alive. So, if you need to shower you can do it when we get over to the main building."

I made sure she was fine before letting myself out. A breath I hadn't even realized I was holding left my lungs rather loudly and I felt a seat breaking out on my forehead.

What am I doing? I can't do this. Not while Aoi is here. Not while the one who holds the rights to how I act is just downstairs. But... I can't help it.

Oh well... if Aoi is right, then maybe the Mark he gave me will... help me forget about what I feel. Even if it hurts to think about it, I know there was no way it could happen. Not without Aoi having some kind of violent way of going about it. The very thought gave me a shudder.

The steps were as dark as I remember, considering the windows barely did their jobs of letting in light. But the ever present clouds were also to blame. I don't think I have ever seen an actual blue sky since I have been here.

He was standing just next to the door, leaning against a nearby wall with his arms crossed.

"There you are," Aoi griped at me with a pout. "I thought for sure you were in there making out with her and I had to go in there and split you apart myself."

Oh God, when is the drama queen thing gonna end?

"You're so hopeless," I sighed and took a seat on the very bottom step. "She was scared, I just had to calm her down and convince her we would not hurt her."

"Hmph. Speak for yourself," comes a snivel under his breath. "I told you how much I detest females. This is going against every instinct I have in my body right now."

"Keep threatening her like that, and I will make sure I raise as much hell as possible to make your life even harder. You want me to keep being compliant with you? Then stop being such an asshole."

He didn't answer that, only narrowed his eyes at me and pouted even more. All talk and no bite huh? Interesting.

"You're lucky I marked you when I did," he snapped. "If it were any other way I would keep you chained up in my room so no woman or any other demons could lay their hands on you. Consent is a bitch sometimes."

He wanted to talk about consent? Now of all times?

"Don't pull the victim card on me, demon," I answered back calmly, ignoring the ravenous look in his eyes. "I never wanted your Mark in the first place, so don't make this about you."

I don't care if he thinks this was an act of mercy. He ruined my life. And I was going to remind him of it every step of the way.

Still. he grinned at me and his tongue slid out to lick his bottom lip.

"You're right. I did give it to you without asking first," he chirped almost happily before leaving his spot on the wall and standing in front of me to lean on the hand rail. "But if it were not for me, another demon, like I said, would have snatched you up and have done something far worse than just Mark you. But that discussion is for when there aren't other ears listening in on our conversation. Isn't that right, lady?"

As he says this his eyes slide up to behind me, and I whirl around so fast I almost feel my neck go into vertigo. Brianna stood at the top, fidgeting and nervous as she realized we caught her. Her cheeks were super red now, but at least she wasn't running away in fear. That was a start...

Now she was dressed in plain blue jeans and a black tank top with her back pack securely on her shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered. "I heard you t-talking and I d-didn't want to interrupt..."

Oh great Aoi was scaring her again.

"It's all right," I assured her and stand up to wait for her to come down. "Aoi was just going on ahead. Weren't you?"

I said this and gave him a stern glare, using our connection t make him feel uncomfortable. He stared at me for a few seconds, then at her, then back at me. A sneer turned up his lips and he humphed before turning and walking to the door.

"Whatever. Hurry up, I have other things to do today, and that doesn't include waiting for humans to walk down steps slower than a snail."

The front door is pulled open and he leave it open, stalking out to the front patio.

"You'll have to excuse him," I sighed as she joined me at the bottom. "He also has a deeply rooted distaste for women. I think it was some kind of past trauma, he'll get over it. I made him promise not to hurt you."

Brianna nervously nodded her head.

"Is he... mean to you? Does he make you do... do things that upset you?"

Uh oh. I should have seen that coming. Well... I can't tell her now. Not until she is safe and more sound of mind.

"I'll... tell you some other time," I nervously answered. "For now we should get going. Ruki is anxiously awaiting your arrival."

The mention of her Marker made her tense up even more, but she put on a brave face and took a deep breath.

"Okay. I'm ready."

To give her more of a comfort I softly put my hand on her shoulder and like before, smile as warmly as I could.

"You'll be okay. Like I said, I will protect you."

/////////////////////////////////////////

I wish the same could be said for my own self. The moment we entered the third floor I could feel the hot daggers piercing themselves into my back. He was pissed. The whole time I was ignoring him in favor of her, and I guess that wasn't a very smart move. She kept herself pressed as close as possible, and her hands had even found mine as we walked through the abandoned area. That place was terrifying so I don't blame her.

But imagine my relief when we finally found the nurse who was to look after her, waiting patiently at the door. It was the room about two doors down from ours, just as big but not as dark. Humans need sunlight more than demons do. Even if it wasn't by much.

The woman was young, and looked like she was very experienced. Again, a western woman. She was fluent as she spoke, but her accent was heavily American. I wonder where all these American nurses are coming from.

"Hello," she greets us and immediately takes Brianna's hand. "I will be your nurse from now on, and I will take care of everything. Ruki-san will be back shortly as he is with Reita-san on a mission as of now. Please, come in."

She gave me a helpless look, pretty much screaming 'don't leave me' with her eyes. But I knew I had already spent the allowed time with her as it was. I liked making Aoi mad, but even I knew when to not cross the line.

"I'll come see you soon, you and Ruki need to be properly introduced. For now, I have some other things to take care of."

"Wait, Uruha-!"

Brianna wanted to protest, but the nurse hurried her into the room, and the door was closed. I only had a few seconds to breathe before Aoi grabbed me and pulled me into our room as well. He yanked off the mask and it dropped to the floor with a thud.

Damn it... here it comes.

Pain lanced up my head as he slammed me against the door once it closed, and I could feel my lungs about to give out. Immediately he began to rub his hands along my waist and his venomous tongue was at my neck. His voice was a mix of growls and pants, and I could tell I was in trouble...

"There is only so far one can push me before I snap," he snapped with a bite to my mark. "You, my dear baby doll, are very. Very close to that line."

Ugh it feels weird... I can practically feel the anger and jealousy from the way his hands groped my thighs.

"Oh, what, are you jealous?" I asked in a snarky reply even though I was the one at a disadvantage. "Jealous of a poor defenseless girl who did nothing wrong?"

Aoi growled again, and this time his left hand slowly wandered between my legs. He wouldn't dare...

"Don't forget who I am," he raggedly whispered in my ear. "Demons like me don't like to share their things. You better hope that Ruki can win over her affection soon, or else consent will be a thing of the past."

Then his right hand grabbed me by the cheek and he looked at me, staring at me with those... piercing and haunting eyes. His other hand is still there, squeezing on my thighs and not daring to wander any higher.

"Try it. Then you'll have an even tougher time controlling me."

Aoi smirked and he let his eyes wander all along my body. A hot flash made me shiver, and I could tell his mind was in impure places.

"You smell like her," he snarled and pushed his thumb against my lips. "It's one thing to get even a small whiff but... the depression, the anger, the hurt. It's so concentrated now that it's a new smell. And I can't stand it. I need to erase it, I need to replace that smell of human with my own, and make you forget hers and never forget mine. I’ll imprint it so deeply that nothing can make it go away."

My head was already swimming but it was even worse now that his mouth was on mine again. This was the second time in less than an hour.

He's aggressive about it, his tongue fiercely ravaging my mouth as all I can do is helplessly support myself on the door. I feel weak... it's almost too much. Now his hand is slowly sliding up the small amount of leather of my shorts, feeling and squeezing. I wanted nothing to do with it, but apparently my sensitive spot was already found. Heat raced along my flesh and I shivered, unwittingly melting against the touch. His tongue bruised my lips even harder.

Before I know it his hand had already pulled my leg up around his waist and it made me want to disappear. Shame heats up my face as the sensation goes straight to my heart. It's thudding loudly and he knows it.

I can only get in a few seconds to gasp for air before he attacks me again. His hips grind into me, he's... aroused. It's rubbing against me and he's kissing even more desperately. I'm scared. What if this is where it happens..?

"Aoi," I tried to bite out between his kissing. "No, please..."

But he ignores me and continued to assault my mouth. His hand by now has started to dig into my skin and my body loved it. It loved being helpless. And I could not stop the way my hips sought out his touch. I really am damned.

His hips continue to grind into me, and a gasp leaves my mouth as he slides his hand out only to palm me from the front. The pleasure is making my body feel hot... I hate this. I hate this I hate this..!

I need it. I realize it now. My body wanted it, it eagerly met all his touches. He was changing me.

"You can't deny it anymore," he groaned and slowly took my bottom lip into his mouth, the kisses wet and sloppy as he lost his sense of control. "Your body is mine. Mine, no one else's. It craves me, it craves my touch. You want this, don't you? I can already feel you getting hard just from this."

"Nnn! Hnn... Aoi..."

My voice comes out as a moan as he rubbed me through the leather. He responded with a sigh and his tongue was less rough. Then his mouth stopped the kissing and he looked at me, his eyes hooded with lust and venomous desire.

“I love it when you’re so helpless like this,” he cooed and continued his torture. “I can feel it, and you can feel it. You want me. You want me to claim you and make my Mark stronger. There is no use trying to get away, I can feel how desperately your lewd body responds to me.”

My whole body is on fire. I need… something! Something to make the burn go away!

“Aoi… Please… Make it stop...”

I can’t think of anything else. I… want it. I want it so bad!

He smiled. Relieved he slowly pulls me to him, and a kiss is pressed to my cheek. I slumped helplessly against him, unable to resist.

“Good boy. With that, I now have permission to do as I wish now, yes?”

“Yes… Please… I want it to stop...”

This was probably the dumbest thing I have ever done. I might regret this later. But right now I don’t care. I can’t feel anything else but the burning he leaves on my skin.

“And with your consent.” he continued and gently pushed me against the bed like before. “This makes you fully mine, to do with as I please. To use as I please, and to be as greedy and jealous with as I please?”

Why is he waiting? I want it now!

“Aoi,” I whined. “Please hurry...”

That was all he needed, because his sharp teeth began to grow out and his eyes turned a bright fiery silver and I felt the heat turn almost unbearable.

He was beautiful. I can’t stop myself from touching his face, or letting him kiss my fingers.

“Then I claim you as my vessel, my connection, and my heart,” he softly whispered and leaned down to nibble at my lips as our fingers laced together. “Now our contract is sealed. You’re mine, and I am yours. Forever.”

Then he tore away at my clothes, and it all seemed to happen in a blur. I was his. Aoi was mine. My heart finally felt complete and a warmth I never knew in my life spread through my body as his kisses smothered my moans.

Whatever happens next, it's my fault.

I felt complete. But most of all I felt… safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for clffhangers, I have a problem lol
> 
> (don't worry, the next chapter will be TASTY)


	10. Scarred - Second Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BRIEF NSFW. SKIP IF IT BOTHERS YOU

As I expected, he didn't let me go with just that. But to his credit he restrained himself, and we didn't go all the way through with it.

His mouth, his eyes, his hands. All of it left untraceable scars on my body. His mark has gotten bigger, deeper. Now it looked almost identical to his. A circle of black with a star inside of it. Only his now had my kanji as he had me trace it with his finger, and he traced his in mine. Now my name was there forever.

Feeling his pleasure through our now irreplaceable and strengthened connection increased the sensations I felt as his mouth kissed my chest, and his hands traced my hips. His lips keep whispering deadly venom in my ears.

"Your body is so fucking gorgeous... And its all. All mine."

I've never seen such an intense image in my life before this... His cheeks were red, and his eyes were shut in concentration. Long skilled fingers wrapped around my aching flesh and his own, keeping a steady rhythm.

Oh fuck... I-it feels so good... I can't stop my hips from moving! My fingers have long since found solace in his hair, tugging and pulling. What is wrong with me?

"Hey," he murmured in my ear. "You're all mine right? You won't do anything with her anymore?"

He sounded so sincerely desperate, hopeful that I would say yes but... My mind could not function properly. All that came out of my throat was a garbled moan. My chest hurts.

"Hngh... Aoi please... I want to... I want to..."

He continued to press himself to me, keeping his hand in that place as his lips kissed up and down my jaw.

"You want to cum? Go ahead," he says softly, increasing his speed. "I'm close too. Let's do it together."

Oh god oh god...

"Yes... Please I want to..!"

Never in my life have I ever done this, let alone with a demon. But my body has become his slave. If there was indeed a god or a heaven, I would never ever be allowed back into his temple. My body was Aoi's temple now.

Even if I do in fact regret this later... It's too late.

"You're close."

Another lick to my chest.

"Mm!"

His lips found my nipples over and over, blowing on them before taking each one into his mouth. The heat in my stomach got deeper, and I could feel myself losing my mind.

His hands were so cold but my skin was hot so it felt even better when it finally came time for him to orgasm as well.

I could feel his pleasure when l returned his kisses. He was more than pleased with me and he rewarded me with a tease to my nipple with his tongue.

"Come on baby," he urged me quietly. "Cum on me if you want to. I'll give you something good."

Oh my god... I'm gonna..!

"Aoi! I'm... I'm coming..! Ah.. Ah Ah... Ah..!"

I could feel... Stars exploding behind my stomach, like someone shoved liquid heat into my body. I jerked and came all over his hand, and he gasped softly as I kept coming. It wouldn't stop... I couldn't stop it. It just feels so good..!

"Hnghh... Ngh... Ah... Aoi..."

His hand still kept going, stroking me in tune with him. Oh my God... Oh god oh god... I didn't think just getting off could... Feel so good! Something felt different... I didn't feel at all satisfied. Not until he finishes...

"Ugh, fuck," he hisses sharply and violently grinded his hips to mine. "You came all over me... But its okay. Your face when you cum is so beautiful. I never want anyone else to see it but me."

As he said that his breath suddenly left his chest in a gasp, and when I felt something hot splashing into my thighs and stomach I knew he was coming too. His chest heaved harshly and his tongue lolled from his mouth in a satisfied expression. Then he collapsed onto me, his whole body covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

We lay there for a few seconds. I still had trouble breathing. I've never had an orgasm like that before... It felt like something in my brain shifted or changed, and it was weird... Is something happening to me?

Then he wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me closer to him if possible. Our chests touched, and his legs tangled in mine.

"Fuck," he suddenly mumbled into my neck. "That was... Probably the best orgasm I had so far. And we haven't even fucked yet. Can't wait for that..."

Ugh how rude. Maybe now if i can finally return to my senses he'll get off of me. He's heavy...

"Are you done?" I sighed and weakly rolled my head away from him. "I need to shower. You got it all over me..."

He laughed and used that as an opportunity to attack my neck with his mouth, slowly but noisily sucking and kissing wherever he could reach. I was too tired to get excited.

"Mm no, just... Let me enjoy this for a few seconds... I think I'm addicted to your scent now that you don't smell like her anymore. Its much nicer smelling pure unfiltered lust."

He continued to kiss, his hands sliding up and down my sides. Was he trying to be romantic? Because that sucked.

"Tch, that's your fault. Because you seem to now have control over my body you can make me feel whatever you want me to."

Yet somehow... That didn't feel quite like the case. I was proven wrong when he stopped, his kisses pausing just over my mark.

"You know... There is a lot I have to teach you about marks," he mumbled low, under his breath almost. "I don't control you entirely. I only have control of what I feel, and what you feel is only an extension of what I do. If you feel pleasure, I feel pleasure. If you feel pain, I feel pain. If you're scared, I can feel that. If I am angry you can feel that as well."

So... What I was feeling wasn't at all controlled by him. Everything that my body experiences is really my own, enhanced by what Aoi does too. So... I'm not a puppet. Just a... Conduit of sorts.

"Our bodies are permanently entwined, and as such so are our hearts. Through this."

As he says the last part his mouth finds my Mark, and as he slowly kissed me, I could feel a tingle going through that spot. He seemed to feel it because he shuddered and kissed again.

"S-stop kissing me there," I complained. "I seriously can't handle another hour of this..."

A laugh, small and almost shy, bubbles from his throat. My heart lurched.

"Okay okay. But... The day will come when we need to finalize our Marks. That is something you can't run away from. And this..." His hands find my thighs, and slowly he ran his fingers to... My ass? "This will soon become mine."

He was palming me. Palming me. In his hands. Pervert..! Well I mean. I guess I shouldn't say that now because he just jerked me off. Ugh.

"You're so full of yourself," I grumbled, but I know he's right. If this is how my body reacts when he gets me off I can't even imagine how it will be when he actually beds me the First time. And It's scary.

He was smiling lazily at me, his hands playfully rolling my flesh between his fingers. I don't want it to feel good but... I'm still sort of high on my orgasm... Fuck me.

"I'm not going to bed you until you're ready to accept me," he promised, kissing my jaw. "And when that time comes... I'll give you the most mind blowing and intense sex of your life."

"Planning ahead a little early, aren't you?" I complained, though I couldn't deny the very idea gave me a shudder of anticipation.

Aoi hummed softly and let his hands continue to grope me as he gently kissed along my cheek. But his next words made my body almost come to life again. Every word was soft, but the poison in them was palpable.

"Hmm. So much so that you'll see stars and hear angels singing in your ears. You'll look at me with cries of more and more as I fuck you so hard into the sheets that your eyes roll back and you feel nothing but me. And when you finally scream my name as you cum you'll really be mine."

His hands then slide up and avoid our mess as he rubs my chest. DAMN it...

"Ungh... Please get off I need a shower..!"

But he ignores me, and his eyes hold a promise so deadly that I swear made a hot flash crawl up my spine.

"Then no one.  _No one_. Will ever touch you that way but me. And if they do? I'll rip their fucking throats out."

///////////////

The sheets were clean when we came back from showering. A maid (where the hell did we get a maid) was just now scurrying out when I returned. Aoi had gone with me of course, offering to help wash me off as most of the mess on me was his. Thankfully he didn't try anything else and seemed overall satisfied.

I laid back down on the bed face first, inhaling the newly washed linen sheets and their soft sea breeze scent. Aoi followed but didn't lie down, instead he stopped sort of near the new dresser I never noticed before and rifled through them.

The silence was a little awkward... At least for me anyways... Even if what happened was still fresh in my mind I needed to fill this horrible silence! I should start off easy.

"Ne, Aoi..."

He paused his rifling to look at me just as I lifted my head.

"Mm?"

"Where are all these nurses and maids coming from? I thought you said people were hiding."

A hum rumbles in his throat and he continued to search the dresser.

"Some are. But not all. The ones that are serving us are more of my underlings, demons in disguise if you will. They're the only females in this damn place that I'll tolerate..."

"More demons? Where did they come from?"

I didn't know he could control them...

"Oh they've been here the whole time," he answered nonchalantly. "In fact we were freed by a couple. That sweet lady that you met yesterday when you first arrived? Demon. Just one of the many that were waiting for someone to give them the okay to come out of hiding."

Wait... So does that mean...

"Is the nurse with Brianna a demon too? Is she in danger?"

Oh... He was tensing up. Irritation and jealousy rolled off of him in literal waves and I almost felt overwhelmed. Did talking about her really piss him off that much?

"...Yes. She is a demon," he gritted out. "And don't worry. For your sake. I have made sure. That if one single hair is harmed on her head... Then other heads will start coming off."

He found what he was looking for and slammed the dressers. His mood seemed to turn sour just at the mere mention of her. Clearly it was a weakness.

But now that I know that she is okay, all I have to worry about is how she reacts to meeting Ruki.

"Okay... That makes me feel better... But I still have one more thing I want to ask."

Aoi came to sit beside me, not looking at me as he tore off his clothes in a disgruntled manner. I wasn't in a passionate romp in the sheets with him anymore so now I couldn't even feel like I should care.

"What is it?" He asked as he slid on a mesh shirt and then put on a black leather jacket.

"You never told me why you're here. What is your true purpose for being in this world? Really?"

His face grew less angry and more... Thoughtful as he searched for his answer. Perhaps he was thankful for a change in topics? Ah. Yep there is that little tingle of appreciation.

"Hmm... I could have sworn I did. Maybe not... Ah well why not. Okay look, this is how it is." He seriously turns to me, the mesh shirt not at all hiding his mark with my name on it. Or the many other marks from past deals. "I'm actually trapped here. There is a group of cultists hiding somewhere in the mess of humans that make up the staff of the hospital, and they managed to summon us and successfully trap us here. But unbeknownst to them is that once we are put into physical forms we are much stronger, not weaker like they had hoped. So the reason I am here is not on purpose.

"There are ten seals keeping me tied to this world, and in order to go home I need to find them, and break them. Only then will I be released from this horrible flesh prison and get to leave."

His smile was sweet, but I could hear the venom dripping from every word.

So... He was trapped. And he can't go home unless he finds seals and break them?

"How do you know what are seals and what aren't? Is it the same for your friends as well?"

"Yes, there are four of us. You already met Ruki and Reita. But you have yet to meet Kai. He's a special kind of demon who is different from us but still our friend. All of us except Kai have seals, and that's what our main mission is here."

I wonder what will happen when he finds them all... Will I be left behind?

"You're worried," he observed, staring at me. "If you are troubled, you can tell me."

OK so maybe this mark gave away my feelings a bit too easily. Well... Here goes I guess...

"I'm... I'm just wondering... What will happen once you find your seals," I admitted slowly. "Will I... Be left behind? Will I die? Do you have to kill the people you Mark if they can't handle it?"

I wanted to know. I wanted to figure out where I stood. I know he said forever when he strengthened my Mark but... He could have easily said that to the other people he must have Marked. The ones all over his body tell me a lot.

Aoi grows silent. He's thinking and looking at the floor, tapping a finger to his mouth.

"Hmm... To be honest. I hadn't thought about it. This is the furthest I have ever gone through with Marking someone so... I don't know."

Is he for real? This is the furthest?

"Wha- seriously?" I say. "How is that possible for such a stud like you?"

Aoi laughed and folded his arms together before leaning against me. He was being very nostalgic about something but of what, I could not tell.

"Hmm... Yeah you would think so. But most of my Marks are failed ones. Humans like their freedom, and I was steadfastly rejected every time. Unfortunately, once a mark is rejected the human starts to die. So that isn't entirely my fault... Hmm..."

He hummed even more and then looked at me from the side.

"What?"

Aoi is looking at me weird... There is something he wants.

"So... How come you accepted me?" He asks. "I've only known you a day and yet our mark is in its furthest stages, close to the very end. Not that I am complaining of course. I'm just curious. All my other marks took weeks or even months to even progress the few first stages and even then I was rejected."

He wants to know why? I guess... There was really only one answer for that. It was sad but it was the truth.

My chest heaved in a sigh, and without realizing what I had done I once again found my hand laced in his. When did this start feeling so natural to me?

"Because I have no idea what I am doing anymore. With my life. With my job. My failed faith... Everything is like a bleak gray canvas that I can't cover in paint. Like a sunless sky covered in black clouds. Everything is just... Static."

It felt good to finally get that off my chest. These things have been bothering me for years, and having Aoi listen helped me a lot.

Through our connection he grew sympathetic and worried, though i did feel a spark of hope somewhere in there. Is he... Planning something?

His fingers tighten, and he turns his head so he can press his soft feathery kisses to my cheek.

"I see. Well then Uruha. What do you say we make that canvas a little more colorful? I'll make you see the sun and chase the clouds away. And when our Mark is completed... Your life with me will be full of surprises."

Was he... Promising to take me home with him?

"Hmm. We'll see won't we?"

I couldn't deny the small tingling feeling in my chest as his kisses found mine. Or the way it felt like fitting a puzzle piece into place as our fingers crossed. But I knew he was right.

Aoi was a demon. He was poisonous, deadly, and probably not at all good for me. But... Being near him felt like breathing. Natural. Not at all dangerous.

But that's what an addiction was like. They seeped their way into your mind and took control little by little. Until all that was left is the core of your soul, ready to be given up for the sake of the thrill.

Aoi was my addiction. My drug. At this rate he would kill me But... My body has long since accepted that fact. My mind might take a little longer though.

"So... Are you willing to help me?" Once he had his fill of kisses. "The portal that I was pulled through is somewhere in this building, I can feel it close."

How does he expect me to help him? I still feel breathless from his kissing.

"How do we do that?"

He smiled and once again leans his head to my shoulder.

"Its simple. The portal will be a former human with a demonic seal attached to their body, stuck in a coma like state. They'll need to die, so you're gonna help me find them faster. Easy enough."

Oh. Well,  _fuck_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NO SMUT YET. (Sorry to disappoint lmao)


	11. Introduction - Second Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so just FYI, this story WILL be quite long. Will it be as long as The Nameless? I have no idea yet. But I hope you are looking forward to it!

It took a while, but convincing Aoi to let me dress in something that didn't show off all the hickies he gave me was finally something of a success. I was allowed a tight pair of skinny jeans he had somehow and a plain white shirt with a black Blazer. Where is he getting all of these clothes? The maids?

Well anyway, as long as my skin wasn't exposed. I'm okay with it for now.

But he still wanted to be difficult as we waited for Brianna to come out of her room. He wanted to just go but I told him to stay put.

What was once a reception area was now a lounging area of sorts with an assortment of three leather couches colored like the darkest black he could imagine and two matching recliners. And somehow, through all of the time we have been here, a functioning fireplace was somehow built into the brick wall, allowing the smoke from a well stoked and fed fire to filter safely from the air around them, giving the room a cozy warmth.

Where did they get all this stuff??

"Can't we just go look for the portal?" Aoi kept on complaining like a child. "She is a grown woman, she can handle herself..."

I rolled my eyes as usual, ignoring the insistent tugging on my sleeves.

"No. I have to at least make sure your friend behaves while they are introduced."

He only groaned in response and impatiently put his hand against his chin, tapping his foot to the tiles.

"Then that damn goblin better hurry up..."

The nurse was dressing her in proper clothes, and we were sitting in what was once the reception area. Ruki was getting dressed in his own room, but he was taking an awful long time.

"Where are your other two friends?" I found myself asking to chase away the boredom. Aoi grumbled and laid against the armrest, bored out of his mind.

"Reita and Kai are currently searching for seals themselves. But I imagine they will be coming back soon."

Another question.

"Where is all this stuff coming from? And how did you build this fireplace so quickly?"

Another bored sigh.

"My underlings have opened their own portals to bring us stuff to make this place at least livable," he answered. "They are low level portals. And my seals are preventing me from being able to go through them myself. But yes... Our maids and nurses continue to bring us our usual luxuries. And they are very resourceful, not to mention strong. They were able to use their powers and some tools lying around to make it so we don’t freeze. Well anyway, Is there something you want in particular? I can have them bring it for you."

What did I want? Well... To be honest I haven't really thought about anything material since I have been here. Though I guess noble demons like Aoi thought differently.

"Uh... I don't know," I admit. "I haven't exactly been raised to care about things like that. But if I have to ask, them a thicker set of blankets would help a lot..."

At that Aoi tilted his head curiously, a smirk now present.

"What, is my body heat not enough for you?"

Wow. Leave it to this guy to turn a request that was seemingly innocent into something dirty. Honestly...

"You don't exactly give off any actual body heat," I shot at him with a huff. "When you held me all night I thought I would freeze to death. Besides, winter will be here sooner than you think. Those thin cotton blankets won't be nearly enough."

If he was going to act like a child, then who would discipline him? Certainly not his friends, I can tell they haven't exactly done any of that thus far. So it would have to fall on me to be his voice of reason.

As I expected he pouted at me, rolling his head from the headrest to my shoulder.

"Aww such a princess," he cooed like one would to a child. "Is the cold too much for you?"

"You're being childish. You asked me what I wanted, and I told you."

His eyes seemed to grow impatient and with another pout he rolled his eyes.

"You know despite that fact that we're marked now and I think I want to marry you, you're really naggy. Kind of like my wife already."

The nerve of this guy..!

"Well someone has to make sure you don't accidentally kill me. Despite the fact that I have nothing left to live for I really don't want to die just yet."

I couldn't tell him my only reason I was still alive was Brianna herself. He would never let me leave the room for weeks. Otherwise he didn't need to know. And even if he did have some idea of the truth, admitting so was not good.

His eyes got even darker and he removed himself from my shoulder.

"Fine," he finally growled at me and stood up, almost angrily. "Imma go wander the hallway to find someone, I'll be right back."

Oh my. Another weak spot? Did hearing me talk about not being alive get to him? Well I can add that one to the books I guess...

"Um, excuse me. Are you Uruha?"

I looked up to see Ruki standing at the entrance of the hallway. Now he was dressed in a completely different fashion. Instead of the doctor outfit from before he was now in what I can only assume was a.. Well, a special formal outfit of some sorts. A blue and black speckled undershirt and a black leather blazer framed his small body, and he wore pants from what I recognized as sleek black leather. Kind of like what I wore except... His legs were fully covered.

But his hair was short, cut to his neck, and only slightly darker. And he still twitched nervously, probably because he knew who I am. And if he knew that, he knew I was closer to Brianna than he was.

All I know about him was that he was the one who marked her. I need to keep an eye on him, what with him being a demon and all.

"I am, and you are Ruki-San," I started, to which he only nodded. "Its... Nice to finally meet you."

He stuttered out a response and bowed his head low.

"U-uhm! I'll be in your care from now on today!"

Ah, a classic yet cliched Japanese greeting. This guy was polite if a little too jittery for my tastes.

"All right, I look forward to it."

His steps were nervous as he sits in the empty couch near the one I was in, and kept his head bowed low, staring at his buckled boots as he twiddled his thumbs. Was this really making him that nervous?

"You're nervous," I cannot help but to say out loud. "What is troubling you?"

I already knew why. Brianna was still going to be scared of him, but I needed to confirm it with my own two ears.

"Um... I... I just... I know what I did to her was wrong," he mumbled slowly. "But... But I... I was nervous. I had never seen a human as beautiful as she was and... She just looked so small and lonely, I could not stop myself. But when she almost started to cry I panicked..! I told her that if anyone knew what I did that I would hurt her! But I would never do that! I could never in a million years! So... This is my only chance to show her that I can be better. I can... Be better for her."

So that was how he saw it. Of course Brianna would hate him. She had a power over him that I understood all too well. Aoi was the same way, but he was more childish about it. I could tell that he didn't want to seem weak. But Ruki was the opposite, wearing his heart directly on his sleeve. If he wasn't careful, another demon who was not as friendly would use her against him.

I just had to make sure that would not happen whatsoever. Ruki could either be my friend or my enemy. That would be determined with this one meeting.

"So. You're going to try to make amends with her." A nod. "Hmm. I can only tell you this; I'm her friend, and I swore I would protect her no matter what. So... I think you know that if you hurt her, demon or no demon I won't let you live It down."

His whole body bristled, and he bit his lips nervously.

"You know this is weird for me too," he grit out between his teeth. "I've never marked a human before this. And I know I won't do it again. But it's strange to me. You're a human and not even marked, but she is... She is still important to you. And I want to become someone important to her too."

Did he think humans needed marks to become friends? He really was clueless. Maybe now I have a chance to teach him.

"She does not need a mark to be my friend you know. Humans need companionship when they feel alone, and she was alone for years. I was the only one who reached out to help, so it was inevitable that she would look to me for help."

He was also clearly very jealous. Another weakness.

"I... I'm just trying to remember," he sighed. "What it feels like to need someone nearby. Reita doesn't count, and neither does Aoi. The bond I share with them is different than what I feel right now."

"Then you need to try harder," I say back, firmly this time. "Be nice to her, don't make her act the way you want just because you're a demon. Humans thrive in environments made of kindness and compassion. If you don't have any of that, then she will continue to hate you no matter what."

Suddenly the door to her room opened and we both froze for a split second before we shot to our feet almost simultaneously. I guess the time I took to teach him of this really flew by.

Brianna’s nurse came out first, and she spots us waiting for them. Her eyes widen and she looks into the door before stepping aside to make room. Then there she was. And… I feel my heart give a painful squeeze.

Beside me Ruki sucked in a breath quietly, clearly enamored.

She looked absolutely beautiful. Her long pink hair had been washed and brushed, and styled into a cascade of beautiful curls around her face with a navy blue and lace headband. A black ruffled dress with long sleeves and a white petticoat hugged her body, and white stockings covered her slim legs. Wedged heels the color of the whitest clouds with dark navy ribbons on the toes clicked as she nervously walked out of the room, adding at least half an inch to her height. To top it all off, a gentle amount of black liner framed her eyes, and her lips were a glossy pink.

“Oh my,” Ruki whispered under his breath.

“Shush,” I snapped and smiled as she came near. “Be respectful.”

My heart was thudding in a way I knew was not good for me, and she smiled back at me until she saw who was near me. Then the smile falters, and fear is evident in her eyes. Again, I do not blame her at all. But if Aoi grabbed me by the throat and told me he would hurt me, I would probably give him a bruise somewhere on his face.

The nurse maid bows to us both, and she greeted us with honorifics.

“Ruki-sama. Uruha-sama.”

But Ruki did not answer, instead his eyes would not leave Brianna for even a second.

“Brianna,” I greeted as she instantly gravitated towards me for a hug. “It’s so nice to see you. You look absolutely stunning.”

I obliged to the hug, but not for too long for her own sake. This wasn’t for us to get along, this was her and Ruki’s meeting. Her cheeks burned pink, and she stepped back to shyly press her hands to her dress. Then she looked up and turned to her Marker, who instantly straightens up.

“Um… I… Thank you, Ruki… For my clothes,” she mumbled softly. “I… I really do think they are lovely.”

I could see the emotions in his face as they changed rapidly. Pride. Happiness. An impressive array of both fear and guilt then back to happiness. This was really weighing on his mind wasn’t it? Maybe he had a chance after all.

It takes him a few seconds of silence, but soon he is stuttering out his answer, clearly as nervous as ever.

“O-of course, my dear,” he says with strained confidence. “Um… I am so happy that you like them, and they look beautiful on you. Would you… Like to sit with me?”

He offered her the space next to him on the empty couch, just next to the fireplace where it was warmest. She looked to me, panicking and practically begging for me to help. This was not about me though, this was about them. Much as I hate to admit it, I had to let her make the decisions on her own, but I could give her a push every so often.

So with a silent nod I motioned for her to accept. A visible shiver of uncertainty passed through her, and she swallowed harshly. But she was already being so brave, I had to commend her for doing even this much.

Her hand, gloved in white satin, found the one that her Marker offered, albeit hesitantly, and Ruki led her to the empty spot. There he allowed her to sit first before sitting as well, slowly as not to startle her and with enough space to make her feel comfortable. She was still shaking but I had a feeling it was mostly from the nerves eating away at her.

“Would you like me to bring you some tea, my Lady?” the nurse asks as she comes to stand near her charge. Brianna, clearly unused to being waited on like this, nodded slowly.

“Yes… thank you Umi.”

So her name was Umi. Interesting… I would need to have a chat with her later. With a nod, the nurse bowed her head and scurried into the door leading to the gutted area of the building, leaving us three alone.

There was an awkward silence at first, and it was a little uncomfortable. Both of them were unsure of what to say next, avoiding eye contact with one another. That is until Ruki finally found the courage to speak. He lifted his eyes and met with hers, his voice still shaking a little but not as bad as before.

Maybe he wasn’t all that hopeless...

“Um! I uh… I brought you something,” he began and reached into one of his jacket pockets. “It’s… It’s something I have had with me for a really long time and… I thought you would like it. As… A way of me offering a heartfelt apology. For the way I have acted, and everything I have done to you in the last few months. I hope you can accept it.”

Then with his trembling fingers he held out a blue satin colored jewelry box, big enough to fit in both hands. Immediately Brianna became flustered, all the fear being replaced with surprise. She looked to me for her next action, to which I just nodded at her again. Ruki opened it slowly, and I saw her eyes light up even more.

“Oh… Oh my Goodness,” I hear her gasp under her breath as pink spreads across her face. “I… You’re really giving this to me?”

It was a necklace, a beautiful gold and diamond studded braided rope with a huge sapphire in the middle, also surrounded in diamonds. That thing must be worth a fortune..! There was no way he could have recently gotten it from somewhere as I could tell it was old, but also well taken care of. There was even a matching set of earrings with it, sapphires set into gold teardrops and diamond studs above them. They had to be family heirlooms of some sort, there was no way he had that just lying around..!

But I stayed silent, knowing that I had no place in this at all.

“Of course,” Ruki said with a seemingly happy smile. “I don’t expect you to trust me, or even forgive me right away. I know what I did can’t be excused with gems and fancy things. But… It will mean the world to me if you wore it with pride. I feel like it will be what can help me to… Understand you better.”

So he was a romantic, even if he was clumsy about it I could tell he was trying hard to make up for what he did. It was… Actually really sweet.

Brianna blushed even harder, and her fingers softly caressed the beautiful blue stones with an awe. I could only guess that even her family had never done such a nice thing for her like this. And it hurt my chest just thinking about it.

“I… I don’t… know what to say,” she finally peeped, almost in tears. “Ruki-san…. Thank you. It’s beautiful. If you really mean for me to keep it, then… I will take really really good care of it.”

She went to put it on, but quickly Ruki stops her, also blushing furiously.

“Um! Allow me, please. It will give me great joy to put it on you myself...”

My heart nearly stopped as she grew even more flustered, and I… almost felt jealous. Almost…

“Oh… Okay,” she agreed and gave me a pained look. “Um, let me just move my hair out of the way.”

She pushed back her long hair to make room, and I watched with a held in breath as Ruki giddily takes the necklace and with the gentleness of one handling a precious item he clasped it around her neck, his fingers lingering at her skin longer than normal. Then he does the same with the earrings, making sure he knew where her pierced spots are before fastening them closed.

Satisfied he looks at her as she let her hair back down, his eyes drinking in her image. The very sight of it made the jealousy even worse and I felt horrible about it.

I knew that this would not be easy on me. I still had certain feelings that were weak but buried deep inside of me. It would be a while before they were properly put out. And I had to, for both of us. Ruki and Aoi were jealous creatures, I knew it from the way they acted. Aoi was possessive, and Ruki was starting to display those tendencies albeit in a far less violent way. I just hope it stays this way. Brianna doesn’t deserve what happened to me to happen to her. She is far too sweet for such a thing.

“As I thought… They look perfect on you,” he continued with a sheepish smile. “They are yours now, I hope you will cherish them as I have.”

Brianna twiddled her fingers before once again lifting the stone to look at it, a confused array of emotions crossing her features. I can tell she is uncertain what to think. Here was a vicious bloodthirsty demon, the one who threatened her, now acting like a shy schoolboy with his first crush giving the girl he liked chocolates. Except those chocolates were giant diamonds and sapphires.

“I will,” she peeped and let her hands rest in her lap. “Thank you. They really are beautiful… Where did you get them?”

Before he answered I felt a hand at my shoulder, and I craned my neck upward to see my own Marker, standing there with an urgent look on his face. Did something happen?

“Aoi,” I say as he slides his hand into my shirt to tug at it. “What’s wrong? Where were you all this time?”

“I don’t meant to cut this romantic little meeting short,” he began as Ruki shot him a dirty look. “But Uruha and I have some business to discuss. So I have to steal him for a while.”

But that would mean leaving Brianna alone with Ruki… I still don’t know if I can trust him with her yet! Brianna gasped and stands up, clearly nervous like before. But if I don’t test her limits, she might never get over her anxiety. It pained me to think it but...

“Wait! Don’t go yet! I...”

“Brianna,” I said to cut her off and take her hands in mine, much to Ruki’s dismay. “You’ll have to continue this without me. I need to know if you can be brave for me. Can you do that? Please, it’s important.”

She still seemed very adamant on not being left behind, and her lip was being abused by her teeth.

“Uruha… What if something happens?” she whispered. “I’m still scared..!”

Understandable, but… I knew Ruki would not hurt her on purpose. He was desperate to win her favor, it was as obvious as day. Besides, the hurt look on his face as she said she was scared told me everything I needed to know.

“Ruki won’t hurt you,” I promised and shot him a glare, to which he stiffened. “If he does, it will be the last thing he ever does.”

Her hands were shaking, and I had to pat them to calm her down. Aoi was getting even more impatient.

“It’s all right, pink lady,” Aoi butt in, clearly annoyed that I was holding her hand. “I know what he did to you was terrible. But he is a desperate bastard, I doubt hurting a woman he Marked is gonna be on his to do list any time soon. And even if he does, he knows it will upset me greatly.”

As he said this, he gave Ruki the most venomous deadly stare I have ever seen him give to anyone. Just seeing it made me shiver violently, as did Brianna. He was so serious about this… I could even see it in the way Ruki was taken aback at the threat, even swallowing harshly.

But then he stood up, and with a deep breath began to argue against us, still hurt from the accusations.

“I won’t hurt you!” he promised with his eyes screwed shut, his fists clenched shut. “I… I’ll protect you, I’ll make sure nothing hurts you ever again! You can yell at me, you can curse at me. Anything that you want to do you can! I promise that I will, so… Please. Let me continue to be here with you. Please.”

Okay. Even I was a little impressed. She meant a lot it seemed, and no amount of distrust was going to prove otherwise.

Brianna flushed red, and let go of my hands to hold them together nervously. Then she surprised me by sitting back down, keeping her posture firmly upright.

“Uruha,” she says suddenly, staring at me. “I understand. You have… important things to do so… I will stay here. Umi will be here, you don’t have to worry about me. I can handle it.”

Was she… being brave? That was unusual. But relief spread across Ruki’s face, and I could tell that sparked hope in him. As it did to me. She was finally coming out of her shell it seemed.

“All right,” I said and began to leave her with her Marker. “I’ll be back soon okay? If you need anything, send a nurse or maid after us.”

Aoi grabbed me by the hand and started to drag me, but I couldn’t help but to look back at Brianna, just to calm my nerves. She was… Being really brave. Maybe she needs this. To be put into a situation that challenged her nerves. Maybe I needed it too. To finally cut out what I felt for her so she could properly bond with her Marker. Just like I needed to with Aoi.

Ruki was clearly ecstatic, once more taking his spot near her to continue talking. She kept her face neutral, but I could see that she knew it was important to him. Because her eyes left mine and for the first time since she has been here… She smiled. I knew then that she would be safe.

That was all I needed. I tore my eyes away and allowed Aoi to drag me to our room and slam the door closed. There he began to rifle through the room, looking for something in a flurry of opening dressers and opening the new closet doors violently. What is he doing?

“What’s going on?” I finally asked. “What are you in such a rush for?”

He sighed and drops on his knees to look under the bed.

“Reita and Kai came back from scouting out the floors above us,” he started then with an ‘aha’ he dug under the frame and came back to his feet, the mask from before in his hands. “The fourth floor entrance was found, and they found something interesting. So I decided to check it out. And lo and behold! The portal that we were summoned through was deep in it’s depths!”

The portal…

“So the first seal is there!” I said, connecting the dots as he slipped the mask onto a belt I hadn’t noticed before.

“Yes. A human, a male, is currently in a deep coma like sleep as we speak. He is the seal we need to break.”

I know that already, but he told me that just killing him would be enough to break it.

“What does this have to do with me?”

He stopped his moving around and came to me, before he took my hand.

“Baby doll,” he murmured and reached a hand up to caress my lips, slowly letting his thumb brush them in a loving manner. “You know I would never hurt you right?”

Uh oh… I don’t like where this is going.

“Depends,” I answered and pushed his finger away, but he just moved it to touch my neck. “What do you want this time?”

He laughed, and even behind the stern look I could tell his eyes were smiling.

“So sharp, I knew there was a reason I liked you. But yes, I need you to help me again. I need to kill this human to break my seal. But in order to make it complete I need some of your blood first.”


	12. Revelation - Second Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO before things get crazy, I hope you like this bit of fluff and dialogue!

“What? Are you crazy?” I stuttered. “You want me to bleed all over the place??”

Then he grew alarmed and quickly took my face in his hands, shaking his head.

“No no, nothing like that,” he assured, and I almost heaved a sigh of relief. “I just need a few drops, just a little. And I need you to give it to me now. It will give me more security.”

“And how do you expect me to do that?”

His hands lowered and he once again gripped my cheek, this time gently like one would do a sweet lover. How ironic.

“Kiss me. I’ll make it quick.”

Kiss him? Like he had been doing nonstop the last few days?

“What is a kiss going to do?”

Then he smiled and I saw his teeth sharper than before, now elongated like a wolf’s. Did he… mean to kiss me then bite me?

“It won’t hurt,” he promised and brought his face closer. “It will be like biting your tongue on accident.”

Did he not know what that felt like??

“That still fucking hurts!” I protested, craning my face away. But he pouted at me, sticking out his bottom lip. Still like a child…

“Please?” he urged again. “I’ll make it feel better afterwards! I’ll even let you hit me in the face if you want. It doesn’t even have to be that long either!”

He continued to pout at me, whimpering just like a child would for a sweet or something shiny. Jeez is this how he is going to act from now on? How immature. But… he is used to getting his way, and anyone who got in the way of that was bound to get hurt. I know he won’t hurt me willingly, as he does not like pain. But still, I don’t like this idea.

“What exactly is my blood going to do to you so you need it that bad?” I asked him suspiciously, to which he stared at my lips as I spoke. “Hey, my eyes are up here.”

“It’s hard to explain,” he admitted and finally met my gaze. “It’s… a safety measure. More for your sake than mine actually. It will give us both a head start on our Marks, and my powers will be a little bit stronger so I can protect you better.”

“Protect me? Why would you need to protect me?” I asked with a frown. He faltered. Did he forget to tell me something important again? He got even more nervous. So that had to be the case.

“Um…. That is another thing… Reita and Kai saw the portal yes but… Since it was left unattended it got bigger and now… more of my kind… have been… coming into the building… So...”

More demons?? Is he freaking serious?? Bloodthirsty creatures wanting to tear humans apart? Were they not like him and enjoyed eating humans??

“What.  _What_?? More demons!? Are you kidding me??”

This was so… reckless! I wanted to punch him in the face right then and there but then I remembered that it wasn’t even his fault. It was the humans who summoned him here and trapped him that were to blame. Still, I wanted a reason to be angry. He knew that it upset me and tries to slip his fingers through my hair to calm me down.

“Hey hey, it’s okay,” he says quietly. “They are all younger than me, and much much weaker. Even if I can’t make them go back through the portal again because of how weak my powers are, I am strong enough to protect you. But only if you allow me to do this one thing, it will make you more important to me than they are. They need to know their place. Otherwise I can’t promise you that they won’t try something terrible.”

Ugh… I knew something crazy would happen sooner or later. Marker or not, Aoi was still a creature I did not fully understand. His ways were different than mine, and if this was going to work out then…Maybe he is right.

With a huff I shut my eyes, taking in a much needed breath. After this I need to take a nap…

“You have to promise me that you won’t let it hurt,” I growled and opened my eyes to glare at him. “Humans don’t enjoy pain all that well.”

Aoi seemed to be expecting me to reject him, so when I responded n the contrary his eyes lit up. Just the littlest things made him happy didn’t they? I’ll have to remember that for later.

“Of course!” He chirped with a newfound spark in his eyes. “Just relax, I don’t like pain either, especially not when I am feeling it from you. So take another breath. It will only feel like a small prick, and I will soothe you both before and after, as I should.”

His teeth were still intimidating to look at… Knowing he wanted to bite me with them only made it worse. Never mind the fact that I was letting him kiss me, a gesture I still had trouble with doing even now.

But I did as he said and closed my eyes, letting my mouth stay open so he could do it. He was breathing hard, letting himself enjoy the moment probably. But the hand in my hair moved to my cheek, where his thumb touched and smoothed over my mouth. Soon I felt him kiss me, and I felt a tiny bit of peace wash over me. Was this him using our connection to calm me down? It kind of felt… relaxing. His lips were still cold, but… It felt… good? I think?

“Nnn...”

Then his tongue slipped inside, and I felt the sensations turn to something different. He easily found control over the kiss and I felt heat crawling up my face. Our tongues met over and over, and at some point I began to feel dizzy. Is he going to bite me or what? I feel like I am going to pass out…

A sharp stabbing on my bottom lip suddenly made me flinch. One of his sharp teeth pricked me, and I could already taste the salt and feel the grittiness of it on my tongue before he pulled it back and continued to lap it up almost eagerly.

I always hated how my blood tasted. It made me feel sick to my stomach. But the pain was little to nonexistent… How is he doing that? All I can feel is his lips soothing me in an apologetic way and I let out a deep breath of relief. I had been expecting it to hurt more than that. But he was right, I barely felt it.

“Are you okay?” he asked me heavily through the way he was sucking up the blood. “I felt it too.”

I barely had room to talk as he took my bottom lip into his mouth over and over, sucking up whatever drops he could get.

“You… said one drop,” I complained as he did as he wished. “I think… I feel light headed...”

Aoi hummed in response before kissing me again, this time slower and letting his tongue slowly massage my lip. As much as he wanted…

“I’m sorry,” he then sighed against my mouth. “I was greedy and wanted to milk this as much as I wanted. You just taste so good.”

His eyes kept staring at my mouth, and he smiled at me, a bit of blood still on his chin.

“Are you… happy now?” I asked. “Am I going to have to give you even more?”

Aoi kissed me one last time, on my cheek as usual, before he finally let me go, licking his lips in a satisfied way. He really did like kissing me that much, didn’t he…

“Mm, yes I am happy,” he agreed and licked up whatever drops he missed from his little meal. “And no, I’ve already had plenty. You taste wonderful, baby doll.”

That nickname again… He knows I have a name right? We weren’t even that close yet. Pet names were kind of odd to me.

“I do have a name,” I answered and he lets me sit on the bed to catch my breath. “Baby doll is kind of...”

He laughed and sat near me, taking my hand in his and pressing our fingers tightly together. That was still embarrassing. Embarrassing because I enjoyed feeling his skin on mine, a sense of closeness I never knew I was starving for all this time until now. Gods I am really lost aren’t I?

“Then, what do you prefer I call you?” he murmured quietly, his head once again naturally resting on my shoulder. “Not just Uruha, I want to call you something no one else can. Something endearing, something intimate. Something that really tells people that you are mine.”

Again, I wanted to say I didn’t belong to anyone. But who am I kidding anymore… The Marked part of me purred in pleasure at hearing him claim me like this, practically melted. I know that my throat can’t force out the words I want to say, and it made me feel helpless.

“Do we have to do this now..?” I groaned and closed my eyes to shut out the headache I could feel coming on. “Don’t we have something important to do?”

We were already wasting time like this, now he wanted to make it worse.

“Yeah, but, Uruha..!” he whined again. “I want you to feel special! I want you to feel like I’m the only one who knows this side of you. The cute and kiss flustered side who won’t admit how much he loves me.”

Love? When did that ever come into the equation? I know I don’t love him. I may lust after his body and his kisses, but this was as far from love as one got. And I know he knows that already, he just wanted to tease me.

“I know you don’t love me,” I sighed and turned my head away. “You may think you do, but I know you don’t. You love my body, and you love my face. But you don’t love me.”

These were the hard truths. But someone had to keep him in line. He was close to crossing the few I had left. Marked or not, I still had my sense of freedom and the stubbornness that came with it.

Aoi didn’t really answer me, but I felt his mood turn from playful to… hurt? Did I.. hurt him?

“We don’t know yet,” he suddenly mumbled in a breathless sigh against my neck, and I felt his hand in mine get tighter. “I may be a demon, but I know what it is like to want to love someone. Don’t assume on your own that I can’t learn. All I want… is to be someone who… can feel like I am human again. That’s why I found you. I know you don’t love me, or trust me yet. But anything can change.”

He leaned his head closer to me, pressed a sad kiss to my neck, and then got up. He was still hurt, I could feel the empty pit in my stomach. Did I do this? I didn’t mean to hurt him. I didn’t even think that one statement would affect him. Now I feel horrible.

“Aoi,” I called before he could leave for the door. He stopped, and I swallowed hard. “Um… Kouyou.”

His eyebrows rose, and he stared at me with a tilt of his head.

“Huh?”

I can’t believe I am doing this… But… I don’t want him to feel hurt anymore. The mark was making me feel everything, and it felt awful.

“My… My name is Kouyou,” I finally answered again, holding my arm self consciously. “Kouyou was my birth name, and I still haven’t changed it. And I haven’t even told Bri… Um… My friend yet. So… If you want… You can… call me that instead...”

The hurt turned to confused, and then the most strange thing happened. He felt… a burst of hope and then a sliver of caution. All because of me.

“Kouyou… So Uruha isn’t really your real name?” he asked quietly, once more approaching me.

“It’s more of a work name,” I answered, still unsure. “I call myself that to protect my family from any unwanted attention. Not many people know it so… Please, don’t feel bad anymore. I’m sorry for what I said to you. I’m just…. Scared. Scared of what will happen to me from now on.”

Aoi sucked in a breath, and I felt him grow from careful to instantly happy all in a few seconds. This was still so embarrassing… I wasn’t looking but he grabbed my face and made me meet his eyes. They were gentle, a rare sight even for me. My heart thudded, and I could feel redness going up to my ears.

“Kouyou,” he murmured quietly, and I swear I felt my stomach give a small squeeze as he said it to me so softly, testing it on his tongue. I can’t breathe..! “It’s beautiful. Just like you.”

Then he gives me another kiss. No tongue, just a sweet press of his lips.

I know I said I didn’t love him, and it might never happen. But the way he says it seems so natural to him, as though he was meant to say it. And even if Brianna doesn’t know it, he… at least he should.

If he keeps this up…

“And don’t worry. You said you would protect your friend, and I am respecting that,” he whispers. “Now let me protect you, Kouyou.”

Well. I don’t know if my heart can take it.

///////////////////////////////////

Brianna and Ruki were still sitting there in the waiting room. Just… Talking. She was still as cautious as ever, but kept a smile on her face. Ruki was stuttering as usual but seemed more at ease around her, and they didn’t even seem to notice us as we walked past them. But her eyes followed me, and she smiled even wider. Umi sat beside her, silently guarding with a calm presence.

I know she was going to be fine now. And apparently Aoi knew that too, because he smirked at me in an ‘I told you so’ manner. So arrogant.

“I told you it would go well.”

Like he would have known that. He just wanted to be an arrogant ass. But… I know I should be happy about this. This one one last worry off my mind, wondering if she would be okay. Umi was clearly dedicated to protecting her. Maybe Aoi made the right choice in assigning her.

“I didn’t doubt you for even a second. Now, where exactly are we going?”

He closed the door behind us, and I could already feel the intense coldness of the gutted section of this floor.

“The fourth floor,” Aoi responded, now slipping that mask over his face to hide the sharp teeth. “Though I would not be fooled, as there is not much to it. It’s much smaller than everywhere else, kind of like an attic. There is a hallway and four rooms, and that’s it. We are meeting Kai and Reita somewhere up there and we can get down to business.”

He takes my hands, and immediately makes for the right turn where we would usually turn left. I hate walking through here. But having Aoi near me gave me a sense of security. It wasn’t like I had forgotten the first time I came through here. I definitely didn’t. The image of that… child, or something like that, disappearing down the hallway just nearby. I took a left, he took a right.

But I still haven’t told Aoi about it. Maybe it’s just because… I don’t want him to worry about anything else besides his seals. Anything else would just be a distraction. But I had to wonder. If I told him… would he believe me?

“So… How will you do it?”

That question had been bugging me this whole time, and now that we were actually gonna go do it I felt even more curious to know more about this.

“Kill him?” I nodded. “Hmm… Well, I don’t want to bore you out of your mind, but every demon has his or her own favorite method of sacrifice. I myself prefer to maim my victims, but I don't have my favorite method of torture. So we'll just have to improvise."

Umm... I'll just ignore the way he said that with such intensity. Maybe it was a good thing for me that I won't see his favorite method of... Killing people. Hopefully I never will.

"Ugh... Forget I asked…"

"Its all right," Aoi laughed with his arm around my shoulder to keep me close. "I won't force you to watch. You already helped me by giving me some of your strength, and that was all I could hope to receive."

Speaking of which, he still hand t told me what exactly he needs me for.

"So if you're running on my blood why am I still here?"

There is another door to the right, in the direction I had been meaning to avoid. Probably to the next level I am assuming. He leads me that way, and I feel the coldness in here get worse and worse.

"Mmm... I guess I just really want you to be there with me," He answered quietly, his hand resting on the cold and rusted door handle to the next room. "If we are going to break seals together, then you should know what you are getting yourself into."

The door is horribly loud, groaning on its ancient hinges as Aoi forced it forwards. I was right, it was the way to the next door, except.. The stairwell was tighter, more claustrophobic in nature. But it was not a series of flights like the ones before. Now I was seeing just a series of old wooden steps in a spiral up a steep brick rectangle box that looked too old to be holding weight. This spelled disaster whichever way I looked at it.

However Aoi, the confident Bastard that he is, continued without a care in the world.

“Am I going to have to cover my eyes when you do it?” I asked cautiously as he was pulling me up the creaking steps. “Are you gonna be super violent about it?”

Aoi laughed, and his hand tightened. For some reason that made my shoulders itch.

“Kouyou, I am a demon, Demons are always violent. But don’t worry,” he says with a holier than thou attitude. “I’ll keep you close to me so no other demon will even look at you the way I do.”

Oh God, he needs to stop saying my name so carefree like that! It will mess with my brain!

“Like what?” I can’t help but to ask, even though I know he will just answer with an equally as possessive line as all the other times. And as I suspected he stopped right before a big wooden door at the top of the steeple and grinned at me, his eyes holding a deep and fiery pride. A pride I could feel coming from deep inside of him and it only made me more nervous.

“Like you’re _mine_.”


	13. Ritual - Second Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters will now have POV changes!

Uruha POV  
Aoi was right. I did need to be protected. The moment he opened that door I felt eyes all over me. People, or rather, demons, were milling about in a huge hallway leading to the fourth floor. They stopped to watch us, seemingly in a predatory way. How hadn't they gone to the other floors yet? This was a disaster!  
They were like stone, going absolutely rigid as their piercing red eyes studied us.  
"Stay close," he warned in my ear. "They know me, But they don't know you. Just keep still and stay calm."  
I wanted to turn back but I nodded instead, keeping myself as close to him as I could. How am I supposed to be calm in a situation like this?? There are literal demons swarming this corridor! And all of them are looking at me like they want to eat me!  
It was a good forty foot corridor, and just walking past them gave me shivers. The Only real comfort I had was the feeling of his hands on my hips and his overwhelming presence.  
They seemed... Almost fearful of him. They were keeping their faces straight but I could sense the fear in their eyes and the way they watched us.  
Were they all afraid of him?  
I kept my mouth shut, not daring to speak as he kept me in a straight line. I almost felt like I was going to pass put when we finally made it to the big metal doors, and he let me catch my breath once inside. All the while he walked around and inspected the empty hallway we found ourselves in. There were four doors just as he said. Each one was pretty big...  
"There's... So many..." I wheezed. "How are they not getting to our floor?"  
Aoi walked down the hallway with out me and looked under all four doors on his knees before stopping at the last one to the left.  
"Reita and Kai put a restraint seal on the door," he called back almost absentmindedly and stood up to dust off his pants. "That seal is keeping those demons trapped in that corridor. We need to destroy the portal or else even more will come through. And I think I found it."  
He came back towards me and helped me to my feet, giving me a once over to see that I was okay before we go to the last room he looked through. The door was huge and wooden, with big metal rivets on the sides. And what was even more eerie, this door had three long claw marks going down it's surface. I shivered, but he just scoffed.  
"Ugh, not another one of these," he said with a bored tone. "What a weak power play. See this trinity mark Kouyou? This is what weak demons do to try and mark a place as theirs. But it doesn't always usually work."  
With a sigh he puts his fingers on the mark, and I saw flames come out of his fingers to burn away the trinity mocking, instead leaving behind his own mark. The one with his symbol. Is he claiming this place as his?  
"So, is it through here?" I asked and he pushed on the door. Suddenly he pulls a sharp steel dagger from the inside of his jacket and I could tell. He was serious.  
"Yes. I would keep my eyes averted if I were you, as this can get messy."  
He walked in first, and I followed. What I saw nearly made me just turn back around.  
A human, or what was left of him, was up against the farthest wall from the door. Blood streamed from his mouth and poured from gushing winds as nails pinned him in a gruesome x shape to the wall. He wore nothing but a pair of black pants, dirty and ripped at the knee. But on his chest was a series of marks and slashes. A pentagram, much like Aoi's mark, was carved deep into his stomach and them burned to keep the person from dying. Other symbols I didn't even know were etched into his fingers arms and neck. His hair was long and blonde, and his eyes were sunken in to the point where they almost seemed to disappear.  
Behind him, in dried blood, was a pentagram.  
"Is he... Alive..?" I whispered. He scoffed again, putting a hand to his hip.  
"Barely. I can hear his heartbeat, but it's getting faint. Like a tiny whisper. He is almost gone. So I need to make this quick. Kouyou, I want you to close your eyes, so don't look okay? I don't want to mentally scar you."  
As if I haven't been already. But I didn't want to test him, so I nodded and turned around, keeping my eye on the door. He walked away from me to the guy on the wall, and I heard him start to speak in a different language.  
"Postremo portis inferi aperta, idcirco hæc clausa meae, dabo pacem in mortalis mortuum."  
Latin... I knew that from my studies but it never stuck with me. Something about... The gates of Hell? Mortals?  
But I didn't get much time to think about it because next thing I knew I heard the sound of Aoi cutting into flesh. There is a soft splashing and immediately, I could smell the salt. Blood.  
"I release this soul from it's chains," my Marker said loudly in my own tongue. "And the gates to the infernal realm will be sealed. May the mortal dead rest in peace."  
Then a scream. And more flesh was tearing apart. A terrible cold swept through the room, making my legs shake. Then a horrible screeching, inhuman, began to come from the poor guy nailed to the wall. More cutting. More splashing. The screaming grew more twisted and tortured. I could feel my heart jump into my throat.  
Then a light, bright red, began to flood the whole room. My curiosity for the better of me. I wish it hadn't. My body turned around almost as if to disobey what I was telling it to do. And what I saw only served to make Aoi look all that more terrifying and dangerous.  
The dagger was plunged deep into the guy's stomach, blood poured like a faucet down his flesh. But the red light was coming from his eyes as Aoi continued to say more Latin. Now he just was repeating what he said before.  
"Postremo portis inferi aperta, idcirco hæc clausa meae, dabo pacem in mortalis mortuum! Postremo portis inferi aperta, idcirco hæc clausa meae, dabo pacem in mortalis mortuum!"  
Then the light fades, and the chill is replaced by a cold silence. Aoi is panting heavily, sweat beading on his face as he withdrew the knife from its resting place. The human was gone. There was no way he could have survived that. No way.  
"May the mortal dead rest in peace."  
Then his eyes opened. And what looked back at us was not. A human. The hands twitched, and blood stained skin began to heal itself up like it was nothing. The nails began to burn into ashes, and the guy dropped to the floor, coughing just a little bit.  
"Ohh," comes a blood stained purr on chapped pale lips. "Did you guys free me? Why, I'm honored."  
Aoi grimaced, and stuffed the knife away.  
"You. I didn't expect the one who was trapped in that seal to be you of all people."  
Does... Aoi know him? What the heck is going on?  
"Aoi," I hissed and he turned around, his face stained with blood splatters. "I wanna go back..!"  
"Wait for me," he tells me and puts a finger to his lips. "I need to take care of this."  
He then ignored me, and I stood there alone. Confused. I just witnessed him murder someone, yet the guy was walking up on two feet like it was nothing!  
All he does is dust off his pants and check his body for injury before he looks around.  
"A human huh?" He chuckles and runs a finger along his chest to touch the new mark there. "I can certainly get used to this."  
"You aren't staying long," Aoi snapped and crossed his arms. "I need you to help me, Then you're going back."  
The man stretched in the body he seemed to like a lot, and examined himself thoroughly. Then his deep eyes found me, and the smirk deepened.  
"Aoi-San. You're as cruel as ever," the man laughed. "You marked a human. Are you running a new scheme here?"  
What does he mean by that?  
"No. I'm stuck here. Again. You were one of ten seals keeping me here. So I had to kill that body you're in to get back one of my powers. And it worked, but now you're here and I need to deal with you."  
He Then turned on the man, and he stared at me intently as he stalked towards me.  
"Aoi..."  
"Come," he ordered and grabs my hands. "We need to find Kai and Reita. We have more guests to cater to from now on."  
Did he intend to let this guy stay? It was obvious to me now what he was. Another demon, but unlike the ones in the hallway he wasn't going to be so easy to trap here.  
"Aoi-San," the man called. "Does this mean I can stay?"  
Aoi stopped just at the door to this room, and with my hand in his he sighed.  
"Yes, But you are not to leave this floor. I may be sealed here, but I am still superior in power to you. You'll be able to do as you want here, but let me make one thing clear to you." He grabs my hand tighter and yanked me against him, staring the man down who just kept on smiling. "This human is my vessel. Harm him, and you'll wish that I sent you back to hell sooner."  
The possessive edge made me shiver, both with anticipation as well as a secret and hated sense of pride.  
"I see," he laughed and began to run his hands over his body. Before My eyes, the marks began to give way to pale smooth skin and the once dirty clothes were being replaced by cleaner ones. "Then to whom do I owe the pleasure of groveling to?"  
Is he talking to me? I looked at Aoi for help, and he just nodded with an annoyed look.  
"I'm... I'm Uruha. I'm just a doctor."  
He felt the mark on his chest with his palms before snapping his fingers, and a black sleek pair of pants appeared on his legs, and he seemed to materialize a silky white shirt from thin air. Can demons really do anything?  
"Then, Uruha-sensei. You can call me Shinya. I am a seventh level demon and one of Aoi's Old friends. I'll be calling this room my own from now on."  
///////////////////  
Brianna POV  
I never really thought about how my life would end up once I got here. My parents didn't exactly give me the luxury of asking them either. I wasn't even supposed to be here this long, a year at the most. But it's been longer than that.  
They've never bothered to listen to me. Not when I told them I was seeing things, not when I told them I wanted to go back home when they brought me here. And when they left I thought they were coming back soon to take me home.  
They didn't come back.  
Its been three years and already I feel as though I'm barely hanging on as it is. And now... All the things that I've been through in the past year don't even compare to this.   
Demons were running amok. And I was Marked by one. Claimed by one. To make things worse I... I think he likes me. And it's scary. There was only one person I thought could have possibly been able to help me but then he was marked too.   
My marker was not nearly as cruel as Uruha's though. Aoi I think his name is. He hates me, I can tell. And... he was incredibly possessive of him. Which means I can't... be close to him anymore, probably. Or he might hurt me. Ruki threatened me, but I know he won't do that now that I talked to him.   
He was nice, and gave me clothes to wear after I realized mine were not good anymore. He gave me this necklace. And it was really heavy, and probably worth more than I could ever imagine.   
But that wasn't enough for me to forgive him. Shiny things and fancy clothes didn't win a girl's heart. Apologies and time did a much better job. Still... I will admit, he was being incredibly jumpy, not at all the image I was expecting of a demon. His eyes darted from me to his feet, and his hands were gripping his jacket pocket.   
He was just as nervous as I was. That made me feel a little better, even with Umi with me.   
"I don't think I... Told you yet," he mumbled quietly under his breath. "The necklace I mean. I haven't told you where it came from."  
Oh yeah. We has kind of gotten interrupted. There was an awkward silence a little bit after they left. It's been a few minutes now. And I had long since gotten my tea. She even brought me cookies.   
"So... where did you get it?"  
He bit his fingernails almost to their beds, but stopped himself before he could make it worse. Then he answered.   
"It... It was my mother's."   
His... Mother's?  
"But... I thought demons could not remember their past lives?"   
At least that was what I was told by... People. Ruki let out a nervous laugh, and ran his fingers through his hair.   
"Um, well... That is mostly true but... I'm the youngest of Aoi and Reita, so I can remember some of mine. But I don't remember my family much, except for my mother. She... gave that to me when she died. She was sick with a bad flu, and... it killed her. Then I caught it and I died too."  
Ruki got sick with a flu... People didn't really die from flu's nowadays.   
"How old are you?" I asked, exasperated. He smiled woefully at me, his fingers finding his pants again.   
"I was born in nineteen eighteen, the year the Flu was an epidemic," he sighed. "It swept across Kanagawa and a lot of people died. I had a younger sister, but I don't know what happened to her. That necklace was all I had left."  
His eyes were incredibly sad... So he did remember something from being human. But I don't know how to accept such a heavy gift.   
"I'm... sorry," I mumbled. Now the necklace felt even heavier. "Um, I am not sure you should be giving this to me. It... it just adds onto the pressure..."  
Ruki flailed a little and shook his head. Did he actually just... flail? And why did I briefly think it was cute almost..?  
"No, really. I want you to have it," he insisted and to my surprise he just scoots closer. "It will remind me of her when I look at it. It suits you so well, and I have no way of wearing it usefully."   
He was smiling happily again, and like before he seemed more than happy to give it to me. What does this mean exactly, for someone to give me such a gift? This was like a... Low key proposal or something. Guys only gave women jewelry when they wanted something. So what did he want from me?   
"I... I don't know what to say but... Thank you Ruki. If there's... Anything i can do for you..."  
I hope he doesn't take that the wrong way...  
"No," he said with a soft flutter of his eyes downwards. "I just want you to know that... I'm not here to hurt you. Unlike Aoi, I am not a brute by nature. He died in violent and abusive times, so his personality was warped by it. So... I feel bad for Uruha, but I didn't mark him so he is no concern of mine."   
What? Did Demons believe that besides the people they marked, they didn't care for anyone?  
"Well hey now, just because humans aren't marked by each other doesn't mean we can't feel things for each other!" I argued, suddenly defensive. "Is that what demons live by?"   
I guess my raised voice surprised him, because his eye brows raised on his face. I don't normally raise my voice, but if he wanted to get anywhere with me, he had to know how we worked.   
"I just... I don't understand," he said back in a stuttering tone. "I haven't been human in almost a hundred years. If people aren't marked they aren't important. That is how I learned to see things. And I... I don't understand why that guy insists on hanging around us when he is Marked by Aoi."  
He really doesn't get it does he? Figures. I guess his own mind was warped from being a demon, and that is why he doesn't understand... Doesn't mean I have to like it. Looks like we still have a long way to go.   
"Ruki... That's not how it works at all," I lamented. "You're a demon, not a human. Humans need each other to survive. Isolation makes us depressed. If you could remember... I don't think I can make you understand with words. But Uruha is my friend. I know you don't want me around him, and I know that Aoi is dangerous. But... But I need him."   
His face darkened. I know he is getting upset by the crease in his eyebrow. I don't think I need to say much more than that.   
Then he stood up and huffed loudly, turning his back on me.   
"Brianna... I... I just... I can't. I can't. I am not as mean as Aoi but he and I are similar when we don't like to... I don't like to share."   
Share? Am I... an object? Ugh! Now I really am upset! How can he say that!? I sighed and stood up, starting to walk away. I don't need this right now, I need to take a nap. He was making me mad again.   
"Ruki-sama," Umi  said behind me in warning, standing up like he did. "Excuse me, but I think we are done here. You are upsetting the Lady."   
Ugh I don't want to see him right now. Screw this socializing thing, I think I was around him long enough. I just... need to see Uruha. But I have to wait for him to come back, and hopefully I'll be calm by then. And he will be   
"Brianna wait!" he called. But Umi ignored him, and I could feel her walking behind me.   
"Young Lady, would you like to take a bath? The bathroom has been greatly improved for your use."  
I frowned, and decided to chance a look over my shoulder. He was standing there, looking at us with... desperation. He was upset, but now more than before. But through his mark I know it wasn't because of me. He was... mad at himself. Now I feel guilty. But I have to ignore that... At least for now. I'm tired. I just want to see him.   
"Yes," I answered and whip my head around. "I feel too hot in these clothes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEW CHARACTER INTRODUCED!!


	14. Planned - Second Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not putting this chapter up yesterday like I planned, my wifi has gone down and I had too look for a good spot in town T×T but I hope you like this one!  
> The next chapter will be solely from Brianna's POV

Uruha POV

Shinya was… odd. I could definitely tell that something about him was different. His senses were incredibly astute and honed in on everything around him. I could see how he bristled at every noise, his eyes followed every speck of dust, or he felt all the bricks in the walls carefully as if to assess how strong they were. I needed to ask Aoi about him later, as I can’t do that here now that I know how he acts.

Aoi said we had to stay up here with him until Reita and Kai got back, as they had gone off and sent out another maid in disguise to look for them. So I had no choice but to listen.

Then a whole hour went by, with us just sitting in front of the fireplace he lit with a match on the cold hard ground. Shinya used that time to familiarize himself with his settings, but I guess he got bored and came to sit near us, which made Aoi scowl and scoot closer to me.

“Are you guys really going to make me wait here until something happens?” he asked us in a bored tone. “There is nothing here.”

Annoyed Aoi crossed his arms.

“You’re a seventh level,” he sighed. “Can’t you order around the maids to bring you stuff?”

His eyes lit up and he gasped.

“Really? You have maids here?” He asked incredulously. “Why didn’t you say so before??”

“I have more important things to worry about right now. When Kai and Reita get here we’re gonna leave. I have more seals to look for.”

Shinya smirked and laid on his elbows on the ground, his eerie eyes watching the flames lick at the surrounding confines of the fireplace.

“Hehhh…. Well I’ll have to see what I can do to liven this place up,” he chuckled. “This place is incredibly dark, even for a demon of your stature. Maybe I’ll have them bring me a companion to keep me warm at night.”

It wasn’t exactly hard to imagine what he meant by that. Aoi was no different after all, as he has proven himself a literal sex starved monster. But it was not hard to believe that demons needed that kind of thing more than humans.

“I don’t really care what you do here, as long as you keep yourself from wreaking havoc on the place.”

“Since when do you care about not destroying a place?” Shinya laughed. “You leveled literal towns back home, why can’t you do that here?”

Wait, hold up. Did he just say Aoi destroyed whole towns?? What else was there that I don’t know about him??

“I don’t know why the past is important, but not drawing attention to ourselves is better in this situation. Humans are crawling about everywhere, I don’t want to have to kill needlessly.”

Uhhh…. I am not sure if I like where this conversation is headed. So what did that make Shinya out to be? Was he cruel too?

“And you,” he suddenly said to me, making me jump. “Why are you here? Why did you accept someone as pig headed and sadistic as Aoi to be your Marker? Humans usually run away before they get close enough to a demon to be Marked, so what gives?”

I already answered this before… And why does he have to know?

“I am a doctor,” I tried to say firmly as I could. “I came here to help people who needed it. But Aoi Marked me, and I didn’t fight back because… Because I knew I didn’t have much to live for in my old life. He doesn’t scare me.”

Even Aoi had to crack a small smile at that, so I could tell he was proud of himself more than me. Whatever.

Shinya laughed loudly suddenly and covers his mouth with his hand.

“Seriously? You’re incredibly brave,” he praised but then he stopped his laughing and leaned closer to me, his smile turning into a maliciously evil smirk. I could feel him staring deep into my heart. “Or you’re incredibly foolish.”

Aoi yanked on my arm closer to him, giving Shinya a glare.

“Enough,” he growled. “Go find something else to pester.”

But Shinya did not back off, and he stared even harder at me.

“He is changing you,” he suddenly says with an interested tone. “I can tell you were once very respectful of yourself and others, and you cared a great deal about what happened to you. But since he got his hooks in you, your whole personality turned into something different. Something inside of you is changing and it is all because of him. What a shame.”

What is he talking about? Aoi is changing me?

“Aoi what is he talking about?” I asked him worried. He scowled even harder and yanked me to my feet.

“How should I know?” he snarled at Shinya.

“Oh I don’t expect you to know, Dear Leader,” he laughed and stood as well, dusting himself off nonchalantly. “I am not a soothsayer for nothing. I can see changes in people before they themselves can, and you, my dear human, are definitely not who you used to be. I expect a drastic change in about… A month? If you can last that long it is.”

His smirk was even worse now, and I could see insanity behind them despite their gentle blue color. Is everyone around me crazy?

“I don’t know what you mean,” I said back, yanking myself away from Aoi. “I am no different then when I came here weeks ago to now. Aoi may have Marked me, but I am still me.”

But… For some reason something was telling me he had more to say. And that I should listen. But Aoi was getting pissed, so now was… probably not the time.

“Don’t be so sure of that,” he sang in a cheery voice and walked back down the small hallway to the room where we found him. “I’ll be in my room if you need me!”

I can already tell he will be a handful… Just hearing him talk was tiring. And Aoi was still super pissed so he understood.

How can someone who doesn’t know me happen to know what I was going through? Even I didn’t know anymore.

“Aoi,” I finally said, fed up. “I don’t like it here. I want to go back.”

His scowl lessened, and his anger turned to a weary exhaustion.

“I know Kouyou, I do too,” he sighed. “But Shinya has something we need. It’s as he says, he is a soothsayer and he can see inside of people, both humans and demons. We’ll need him to find our seals.”

Is that why he was here?

“So he wasn’t pulled here on accident?”

His face turned confused and I could see on his face the way the gears in his head were turning.

“Actually he was… It’s, it’s hard to explain. When a human with a seal is killed and the seal is broken, the power of such a violent deed sucks in a nearby demon, and that demon just so happened to be Shinya. What he was doing here in the human world I don’t know. As annoying as he is, he’s right.”

Now I had to narrow my eyes. What else am I not being told?

“What? You mean to say that he was right about you changing me? Something else I wasn’t told about?”

This time his mood turned tired, and he ran a hand down his face before looking at me. He wasn’t trying to be a smart ass, nor was he being a massive pervert. He just looked really… tired.

“Kou I honestly don’t know,” he protested. “I’m not a soothsayer, I can’t pick up on these things like he can. If you are different, then I don’t know what I did.”

Guilt ran through me, making him flinch as he felt it too. He smiled at me, but there was no trace of that usual hidden intention like before.

“I… I don’t know anymore,” I mumbled, tearing my eyes away. “I want to be mad at you, I want to be upset. But… I can’t. And I don’t know why.”

Maybe Shinya really did know. I felt confused and conflicted all the time, even being around Brianna made me feel weird. I don’t know what to feel about Aoi anymore. I want to be mad at him. So many times I wanted to scream in his face and tell him he ruined my life, that everything I had worked for so far was for nothing. But it wouldn’t work, and I would feel guilty just for thinking it.

I could feel his anger, but more towards himself. He didn’t know what to feel either. But how did anyone know what to feel in this situation?

All I wanted to do right now was go to my room, and sleep for a whole day. Or a week.

Aoi touched my face, then kissed me for a few seconds but he didn’t try to touch me after that. Instead he used our connection to once more send soothing vibes to me, and I can’t help but to soak them in for a source of comfort. My body could no longer handle not having that feeling, and to know that only now made me feel numb to everything else.

He made me wait for him against the wall near the door, and with a worried glance at me he left, and I was alone.

But he didn’t go too far, just beyond the door. I could feel the invisible string holding us together getting stretched out by the tiniest increments, the smallest centimeters. Was this our Mark getting even stronger?

I sighed and slid down to sit on the floor, holding my legs to my chest as I took in a breath. I have to breathe more. Being around Aoi was suffocating, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. But at the same time I know I need him around me more and more. It made me feel even more helpless and trapped. Like a poor fly being wrapped up alive by a venomous spider, or a helpless mouse in the jaws of a vicious cobra that didn’t bite down hard enough to kill.

And I can’t bring myself to want to escape.

“Damn it… What’s happening to me?”

I only waited for about two minutes, he wasn’t gone for very long. He came back with two people. There was Reita of course, and he sent me a friendly yet distant wave. But he wasn’t who I was concerned with. It was the other one. This must be Kai, the guy I heard so little about. And he looked… Not at all like what I expected.

He wore all black, covered head to toe in a cloak that had a hood and long wide sleeves. Near black brunette hair was styled in a wavy and carefree, yet almost deliberate wave around his head. His lips were painted all in a dark gray and equally as ark makeup covered his eyes and feathers were everywhere. That would have made him seem intimidating, but… Everything about him was confusing.

He was… smiling, and gave off a cheerful aura. It almost felt jarring in a way. Wasn’t he supposed to be a big scary demon?

“Kou- Er, Uruha,” Aoi said and helped me back up. “You already know Reita. But this is Kai, the next youngest of my… uh, group.”

Reita gave Aoi a sideways glance with a raised eye brow.

“Eh? You aren’t gonna say cult or gang? That’s what you usually say when we meet new people.”

Kai laughed, a sound that was strangely just as cheerful despite his wicked look.

“Well we aren’t exactly much of one now are we? What with us being stuck?” he peeped with a grin.

“We’re stuck,” he corrected the brunette, who only snorted. “You on the other hand, can come and go as you want to, you lucky bastard.”

Kai laughed again, his wide smile showing off perfectly white teeth. Who is this guy?? And why is he so goddamn happy?

“Is the puppy jealous of me?”

“Not on your life.”

“Whatever,” Aoi snapped. “Kai, meet Uruha. I marked him and he is mine now, so no touching.”

Okay good to know his usual attitude was still there. Whatever.

Kai walked over to me, his smile never leaving his face as he examined me. His eyes were a deep chocolate brown, almost… strangely human. But what he said next made me remember otherwise.

“Hmm, so you’re Aoi’s new human chew toy and stress reliever. You’re in for a rough ride, my friend.”

Oh great, he’s insane. Heavily I sighed. Should have figured his personality was just as twisted as the other’s.

“I am not a stress reliever,” I argued with a cross of my arms. “I can handle myself thank you very much.”

Another laugh and this time it was at me. He even rose his eyebrows in disbelief.

“Oh really? Those marks all over you tell me a different story.”

“I think I cause him more stress than anything,” I retorted. “But he can’t do anything about it because I have the leverage I need to keep him under control.”

“Uruha,” Aoi growled at me with a sharp edge. “Cut it out.”

Reita started to laugh, and I felt strangely proud for taking up for myself. I wanted to say more but Aoi’s warning look made me snap my mouth shut. No need for unnecessary stress. He motioned me over, and Reita laughed again under his breath. What an asshole.

Unable to help myself I rolled my eyes and went straight to him, where his hand possessively finds my hip and he keeps me pressed into his side. All the while Kai kept giggling at me, probably acting smug because he knew I couldn’t stop myself.

“Well, my name is Kai,” he started once his laughs finally ebb away. “I’m Aoi’s, uh, friend I guess. I’m a demon, but only in training. I guess I am technically a death spirit.”

“Death spirit?”

“Kai reaps human spirits,” Aoi explained at Shinya’s door. “But he wants to be a full demon, so aside from reaping them he has to actually kill humans too. Death spirits aren’t supposed to do that.”

Kai nodded with every word, his joyful attitude masking his more psycho side.

“Yeah! Yeah, we Death spirits are supposed to carefully transport human souls to the River Styx, where they will be ‘cared for’ by patrons of the Underworld. Bah, it’s all nonsense,” he spat. “So instead of transporting them I eat them. Human souls are pure energy, so I am slowly making the change.”

“You eat human spirits?” I asked, now nervous. Kai laughed and bounced on his toes.

“Yup! They’re a little spicy on the way down, but they fill me up good. I only need to eat once a day, and I already took care of that.”

Reita made a disgusted face, and I could feel the same emotion from Aoi as he was pressed directly up to me. But I was fairly certain he could feel the fear that made the hair on my neck stand.

“Kai won’t lay a hand on you,” Aoi promised me before pushing the door open. “It will only upset me.”

I looked back to the Death Spirit, who was looking around curiously with a huge smile.

“That’s right. I won’t lay a single hand on you, as I can’t eat marked Humans. It’s bad for my stomach.”

He was saying that so casually..! Kai was literally a spirit, er demon, that ate humans! So what exactly does Reita do??/ Well, I don’t wanna know actually. I’ll leave that for another day.

“Aoi-san!” Shinya exclaimed as he stood up from the pentagram. “Did you need me?”

“Yes,” Aoi said, exasperated. “These two will be your guides here, they’ll let you know if they find humans and you will be able to see seals in them. Those are my conditions.”

He looked at Reita first, bored. But when he looks at Kai his eyes widen for a split second, before a look similar to when I first met Aoi flashed in them in a predator like gleam. Kai didn’t notice at all, far too busy looking around the room. At least until Shinya spoke.

“Well well well,” he laughed darkly and crossed his arms. “A fallen Death Spirit. How interesting.”

Kai paused his observing, and turned to look at Shinya. Their eyes met and I could see Kai shiver under Shinya’s intense gaze. Aoi noticed too, because I felt him get a little grossed out. But I couldn’t help laughing a little bit, I thought it was funny.

“A seventh level,” Kai greeted slowly, finally picking up on the hints of interest. “And a soothsayer to boot. How does someone like you end up in a dreary place like this?”

“I stabbed and killed the human holding him prisoner right now,” Aoi answered impatiently, knowing Shinya would only be a smart ass to Kai to impress him. “He was a seal.”

Kai caught on and made an ‘aha’ sound before stepping even closer to Shinya to inspect him. This was getting weird even for me.

“Well? Where is the human spirit at?”

Shinya shrugged nonchalantly.

“I don’t know, and I don’t really care.”

Kai smirked, knowing full well how unapologetic full blooded demons were when it came to humans.

“Aww, I bet he is still trapped in that meat sack you’re wearing,” he purred and boldly pressed a sharp black painted nail to Shinya’s neck to make a long red scratch, making him hiss under his breath. “I think I can help you out with that.”

Um… Are they…. Flirting? Right in front of us? Awkward…

“Really? Then why don’t you show me what it is exactly you can help me with, O spirit of Death.”

Then Kai slammed the demon into the nearby wall and began to smother his face into Shinya’s neck and I know that was no simple greeting. And I am sure the noise I made just now was me choking on my own spit.

“Okay, time to go,” Reita exclaimed and made a hard turn around to the door. “Kai-san I’ll see you in a few hours buddy!”

“We should go too,” Aoi murmured to me and smiled wide as he turned us around, and I could tell he was pleased. “Shinya has a hard time refusing the advances of cute boys.”

I rolled my eyes. What a hypocrite. The door closed, but before it did I heard Shinya laugh breathlessly at us.

“Like you?” I coughed to try and regain my breath. Aoi just grinned even wider and pressed his face to my cheek, kissing me just under my eye.

“Exactly like me,” he agreed without a second thought. “Though I wouldn’t say you were just a boy. I have seen what I can do to make you feel like a real man after all.”

“Perv,” I grumbled but he just laughed more, snuggling my face and purring. “You kind of remind me of a tiger trying to cuddle it’s prey instead of trying to eat it.”

Aoi continued to purr and kept his hand on my hip. Reita had by now wandered back to the front door.

“How do you know I am not already eating you up?” He asked lowly.

“Mm fair point. Now cut it out,” I complained and tried to push him away. “Don’t we have to do something else now?”

I probably popped his peaceful little bubble, as his mood turned back to that sour and tired one from earlier. The one that made me feel exhausted as well.

“Yes. You and I have some human hunting to do. Just so we know where they are and we can get Shinya to look through them. It will take a while, as no one knows where they are but we have two whole floors to look through.”

“Oh joy.”

He smiled and led me by the hand to follow Reita to the corridor and to the stairwell entrance. There we found a maid lollygagging around and the bat wielding maniac barked at her to hurry on over to the entrance to the fourth floor to wait on the new guest. She squeaked and ran off, and that took care of that.

“So what is going on with your… friend?” he than called to us from a good ten feet down the corridor. “Is that little spoiled brat of a midget still trying to gain her favor?”

What is up with him? Do he and Ruki have some kind of bad blood between them or something? Confused I looked at Aoi for help, who only rolls his eyes.

“Former lovers,” he whispered quietly, and it suddenly his attitude made all the sense in the world. Reita was bitter about breaking up and incredibly jealous of Brianna. Yet when he first found us he hid it so well. But maybe that was the point, to hide the level of anger he was building up.

“Ohh,” I answered back and cleared my throat. “She is okay, but she needs more time to get used to all of this. But I think if he is nice to her she will come around.”

I wanted to believe that myself, but then I saw his face turn into a bitter scowl and he scoffed. Did he not believe me or something?

“He’s gonna screw this up, I can tell you that right now. Then she will be in trouble because he can’t stop himself from trying too hard to get into her pants.”

Oh shit, now he really is angry. Brianna was in even more trouble like this… Aoi got pissed again, but it was more for me than himself.

“Rei,” Aoi snapped. “That’s enough. Don’t you have a job to do? Then go do it. That’s an order.”

Reita tsked and slammed into the door to force it open, letting it bang against the wall as he disappeared into the blackness. This isn’t good… If he runs around like this free to do what he wanted he could do something drastic. He could hurt Ruki, or worse, Brianna. I need to see her, just to make sure she is okay. I’m sure Umi is protecting her but… Still. I have a horrible feeling in my gut that something might be wrong.

“I have to go back,” I muttered and started walking faster, taking care not to slip on the steps. “She might be in trouble...”

But Aoi kept up with me, his hand not too far from mine on the guard rail. Still, he didn’t do anything to stop me. Did that mean he trusts me now?

The door was wide open at the bottom, and going through it I saw a weird sight. The gutted out hallway was… Lit up, and the windows had been repaired. Maids and doctors scurried about with supplies like paint and other similar things. Were they fixing this place up?

“What’s going on?” I asked Aoi, who felt as confused as I did.

“I… I don’t know,” he admitted and got the attention of the nearest maid, who was holding what looked like a big roll of paper. “Hey, what the Hell is happening here?”

She bowed her head once and kept the paper all rolled up.

“Aoi-san, you didn’t hear? There are more seventh level demons that showed up suddenly out of nowhere. They must have heard that this place was swarming with demons as it was, and decided to crash the party. So they ordered us to get this place fixed up.”

Aoi paled, and I saw all the color drain from his face. Now he was panicking, I could feel it in the way he grabbed my hand and his skin trembled.

“How many?”

The maid thought for a few seconds.

“Mm about eight?”

“Shit! They couldn’t use the second floor?”

She shook her head.

“No, they said that place reeked of people, which to them is annoying. This was the only place they wanted.”

He scowled again and ran a hand through his hair.

“Where are they all now?”

“I don’t know, they’re wandering around the grounds right now to explore it thoroughly, at least according to them. They can be anywhere as far as I know.”

Oh shit... Brianna!

“I have to go see her,” I whispered urgently, and at first he hesitated. But he felt the panic in my welling up in my chest and he sighed.

“Go, make sure she is okay,” he murmured and kissed my cheek. “Have Umi look after her closely. And Uruha… Be careful, seventh level demons can be mean and cruel, and they can be anywhere. Your Mark will keep you safe but just be cautious.”

He was even more worried about me now, and he was showing it clearly. That made my chest squeeze and I swallowed hard.

“I will.”

Then without thinking I kissed him back. And I can’t believe I did it, but it was on his lips this time. I needed something familiar to calm my nerves.

He stared at me, surprised. But I didn’t let it bother me because I sprinted off already, leaving him behind to deal with this situation. I tried to ignore the pounding in my chest as I burst through the door to our small corridor, my lungs about to collapse from the overwhelming feelings in my head.

_‘Please let her be okay.’_


	15. Unexpected - Second Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A dialogue chapter before more plot! Trust me this is important you guys

Brianna POV

  
It was peaceful for a while before I heard the noises. The spray of the shower wasn’t enough to drown it out, and when Umi rushed in with a panicked face I knew that something happened outside. I turned off the water and she slammed the door closed.

“W-what’s going on?” I tried to ask but she shook her head at me.

“No time. We have to go back to your room, now..!”

She wrapped a towel around me and dragged me out of the bathroom to my room, and I had to grab the necklace and earrings in a hurry. But not before I caught a glimpse of something that made me shiver. Ruki was standing where I left him but with his back to me as four intimidating people stood there and leered at him. He was just as worried as Umi, I could feel it. These people weren’t supposed to be here.

“I’ll make this quick,” Umi murmured as she opens my door to usher me in. “I need to make a few warding marks on your door and windows.”

I watched her quickly use her finger to make a weird mark on the door and I smelled burning wood, then she hurried inside and slammed the door closed.

“Umi what is going on?” I asked again. The cold air around me made me shiver and I tried to warm up by sitting on my couch near the fireplace, setting the jewelry on the bedside table. “Where’s Uruha? He has been gone for an hour now.”

“I don’t know where he is but… Those are seventh level demons,” she began breathlessly and made more marks on my windows, and I suppose it didn’t matter that they were all blacked out anyway. “They can come and go between here and Hell whenever they want. And I guess one of the loud mouthed maids blabbed that there were demons and humans here.”

She was flustered, pushing her black hair out of her eyes. Was this stressing her out that bad?

“Umi… Are you okay?”

With a nod she went into my drawers and found me a soft blue blouse and white pants.

“Here, put these on. I’ll go find a hair dryer so you won’t catch cold and have Ruki come and explain things to you better than I can.”

More demons are here. As if the three I saw on a normal basis wasn’t enough… Ruki was probably worried about me. But I just fought with him. How can I look him in the eyes now?

“I… I don’t want to talk to him. I want to see Uruha,” I argued but I knew I was just being difficult. Umi sighed and wiped her hands on the apron she always wore.

“My Lady I know this is difficult for you,” she murmured and takes my hands. “But you need to be around him, especially in times like this. Your body needs comfort in his presence, or else the stress will make your brain even more muddled. Even if you don’t talk to him, just let him be near you. He needs this as much as you do. When Uruha comes back, then I will send him to you.”

She was right… I know Ruki is trying. I am still scared, but how will I get over this if I don’t confront him head on?

“Okay… I’m sorry,” I peeped. “For giving you so much trouble.”

Umi smiled at me, and for a second I could swear she was looking at me like one would to their child. It made the pain in my chest feel even worse.

“Do not fret my dear,” she assured me. “You are my charge, I will protect you with my life if I have to. Nothing would make my job more worthwhile than to just see you smile. Don’t worry, everything will be okay.”

Then she gave me a pat on my hand before slowly walking outside. I took this time to quickly put on the clothes she gave me so Ruki wouldn’t see me naked. That would just be embarrassing, not to mention incredibly rude.

My couch was nice and warm, and I snuggled under the throw blanket Umi gave to me to rest my head on the arm rest. I’m just so tired. I wish it was night time already so I could go to bed. Maybe I can take a nap here…

“Brianna!”

Ruki’s voice burst my bubble of safety as he hurried into my room, making me look up. He was frowning heavily with concern and he looked me over a few times.

‘Or not I guess.’

“What?” I asked and once again laid my head down. “I’m fine. No need to worry about me.”

He sighed in relief and slowly sits on the edge of my bed only but feet away from me. He didn’t look at me directly, keeping his body turned away from me and I was grateful for that at least.

“Thank Goodness… I knew you would be the first one in danger if anything happened. I had to make sure you were okay.”

So he was worried about me. I couldn’t tell from far away, but now I definitely can. And now that he was here, I felt a little more calm.

“I’m fine. But what is going on? Who were those people out there?”

He tensed up, and his shoulders shook a little bit.

“They’re not like me,” he mumbled. “They’re seventh levels. They’re weaker, as I am a third level like Aoi and Reita. But we’re in a vulnerable state now that we have been trapped here, and they have a little more chance of being violent towards us.”

Like him… But wouldn’t that be a good thing? I voiced this to him but he shook his head.

"Why not?"

"Me and Aoi, along with Reita and Kai, are a weakened by the seals holding us here. If we were at full strength those seventh levels would be afraid of us. But... You saw them. They knew I was weak and they will gladly use that against me. And if I'm right, they're the type to not care of a human is already marked. They love wreaking havoc whatever way they can."

Not care about it huh... So does this mean I'm in even more danger?

"So what does this mean for me?"

His face is full of regret and he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. Whatever he had to say was probably making him upset.

"I'm afraid... You have to stay in here for now. At least until we get them to leave."

Is he serious? That's not fair..!

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" I asked and crossed my arms. "I don't want to be a prisoner here!"

Ruki too made a displeased noise, and turned to face me for once. He was scared, and I felt it clogging up my throat.

"I don't like this anymore than you do," he rumbled. "But I have to keep them away from you. I want nothing more than for you to be unharmed, so you might not have a choice, otherwise I know for a fact that they will rip you to shreds."

The way he said it with such seriousness gave me the shivers... If he was right, then I really don't stand a chance. Why did this have to happen to me?

"If I may," Umi then spoke up as sge listened to us talk. "If the Lady wants to keep going outside, having a cheuffer present at all times is your only option. Those demons will attack if the prey is helpless and alone. So always have someone with you."

Ruki perked up and stared at me. He wants to be the one to do it if course. Why would I have even suspected otherwise?

"Please, let me do it," he begged. "I know I can do better. This is the only way I can protect you. So please, allow me this one thing."

He was desperate. I can feel it. But why was he willing to go so far just for someone like me, who he only knew for a day? Was this Mark really that strong? But I can't be alone with him every day. I need to know if I can trust him and for that, I need space.

"Not just you," I argued and his face twisted into confusion. "I want Uruha with me too. He is the only one I can trust right now besides Umi."

He's still not seeing the whole human bonding thing. But if I have to I will force him to. There isn't anything else I can do besides that.

Ruki huffed and looked like he wanted to argue, But my door suddenly swung open.

"Brianna!"

It's Uruha... He came back!

"Uruha!"

I couldn't stop myself from gasping and leaping to my feet. I want to hug him but... Something stops me. The jealousy coming from Ruki is almost suffocating and I can't move from how much guilt it makes me feel.

"What's going on? Are you okay?" He asked and carefully closes the door. "Did anyone hurt you?"

He stared at Ruki and expected me to say yes, but the pouting and pitiful expression on his face made me talk without thinking.

"He didn't," I quickly denied "I'm... I'm fine. Umi brought me here before anything happened, and Ruki just got here too."

Did I just defend him after what he just did to me? This is not normal... But he seemed to be less sulky and the guilt lessened just a little bit.

Uruha finally relaxed, and I could tell he was stressed out.

"I'm so glad you're okay... When I heard there we're more demons here I feared the worst."

"And what does Aoi plan on doing about it?" Ruki snivelled with a sour expression.

"I don't know," he admitted and slumped his shoulders. "All I know us that he was really pissed when he heard there were more demons, so he and Reita are talking to them right now I imagine. But I came here first and foremost to check on you."

So he came all the way back just to see if I was okay. That and the fact that Aoi let him do it at all... was weird to me. Wasn't he the jealous type as well?

"Well she is okay," Ruki huffed. "If something happened you would know about it even if it isn't something you need to worry about."

Well there he goes again. Ugh I need to get it through his thick skull. Uruha scrunched up his nose in distaste and pinned Ruki with a withering stare. Even though I know he was able to do it, I felt kinda glad that he was taking up for himself.

"Well considering I knew her longer I know I have more of a say in this than you do. So please, butt out of it."

Ruki grew increasingly irritated and growled in his throat, but I forced myself to keep silent. Are they really arguing in my room? How rude!

"Boys may I remind you that you are in the presence of a lady, and danger is right outside that door," Umi snapped at them with a harsh tone. "If you must fight, please do so in a place where you aren't bothering her."

I smiled at her, thankful for her intervention. But I think I can handle myself from now on. Though that doesn't mean I can handle demons on my own.

"Thank you, Umi. Really. But this may be something they need to do if Ruki wants to understand."

As I said that he froze up and Uruha sighed in relief.

"Aoi would have to talk with you about this kind of thing," he laughed. "He doesn't listen to me but he might listen to you. Nothing like learning about humans straight from the source."

Talk to that crazy son of a bitch? I don't think so.

"Thanks for the offer but... I'm pretty sure he still wants to kill me."

Uruha grimaced and I could imagine he felt the same.

"If he tries then he will regret it."

"Who'll regret what now?"

Oh speak of the Devil... How is it that he can waltz right in here without asking? Or knocking for that matter?

Aoi had a stressed out face but it seemed to melt when he attached himself to Uruha's side, who just grumbled and looked away in response. For some reason I... I felt a weird hollow feeling in my chest. Jealousy? But not towards them, no. When I look at them I just feel a... A wishful feeling for something similar. But not... For Uruha? That's weird...

"You'll regret making me mad," Uruha shot at him, making Aoi grin.

"I don't doubt that for a second."

"Hmph."

A red tint crawled up Uruha's face, and again I felt a dull pain in my chest.

"Excuse me," Ruki growled. "Can we not do that here? If you haven't noticed, we now have a fucking demon infestation! I'd like to flirt too but it can wait until after we figure this shit out."

Wow what a foul mouth. But I don't blame him I guess.

Aoi sighed and his sour mood returned.

"Fine. Okay look, I talked to them just now. Me and Reita, we figured out that they are indeed seventh levels, but they're all rogues. They don't belong to a faction or a useful group. They defected and now roam the dimensions between here and Hell as they please. And as it turns out, a maid opened her big mouth and let it slip that we were here and now we're all in trouble."

I frowned and turned to Umi then to Aoi.

"What do we do now?"

I saw the way Aoi bristled at that question and stared at Ruki for a second. Then his eyes, hard and guarded, meet with mine. And I swear I saw something akin to fire in the way they blazed.

"There's only one thing we can do, and I know you won't like it."

A shiver travelled down my spine as he said that and I know it wasn't what I had in mind for a good time.

"And that is..."

He once again looked at Ruki, and without skipping a beat he sighed.

"You'll need Ruki at your side at all times. You won't like it, I know that after everything he did you don't trust him. But you don't have much of a choice. These demons are relentless, and rogues go after Marked humans all the time."

Ugh... I should have known that was how things would go. Ruki was supposed to protect me. But how would he do that when I don't even trust him?

"I'll keep you safe," Ruki then said to me, his eyes fiery and determined. "I swear, I won't let anything happen to you."

I frowned again, feeling dread settle in my stomach. How am I supposed to handle this? I'm still trying to get over the trauma he caused me only but weeks ago. And now I'm supposed to rely on him to keep me from being torn apart by demons? This whole thing just feels like a horrible joke being played only on me.

"We'll have to see won't we?" I huffed. "When you're busy not trying to push my friends away then we'll talk."

He pouted again, and he wanted to argue. But the sharp look from Aoi forced him to keep his mouth shut. I guess he was good for something.

"Same goes for you," I then shot at Uruha. "You can't keep coming here without Aoi. They'll just tear you apart like a piece of paper."

The Raven demon scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Or worse."

Uruha stared at Aoi wide eyes, his mouth in a tight line. Did that surprise him as much as it did me?

"Well whatever," he finally answered and directs his attention to me. "I just wanted to come and make sure Ruki was being nice to you. I never know with him you know."

I wanted to bring up what happened earlier, but it seemed like bad timing. Maybe when our lives weren't in danger I would tell him. But right now it just seemed in bad taste.

"He didn't do anything," I denied, and the surprise Ruki showed when I defended him was almost comical. "I just got hot and wanted to take a shower, than all of this crazy stuff happened while you were gone."

He seemed skeptical, but didn't look like he wanted to question me. Even Aoi seemed to be having a hard time believing me as his eyebrows rose and he looked at Ruki.

"Well in any case, we found a new person to help us. Shinya, a seventh level but unlike those rogues he is a part of a group. A soothsayer."

A soothsayer?

"What's that?" I asked.

"A soothsayer can look into people and see what they are made of," Ruki answered, now deep in thought. "Not physically, but spiritually and mentally. If Aoi is right and he is harmless then he can help us find our seals. Right?"

Aoi nodded and seemed to remember something traumatizing.

"And I think Kai is more than enough on his friendly side. They're getting... Well aquainted as we speak."

Uh... What?

"Oh. Oh gross," Ruki retched with a lurch of his shoulders. "Does that damn angel have no shame at all? God, next thing you know, we'll be hearing thumping on the walls..."

"Apparently cute boys are every demon's weakness," Uruha grumbled.

"Not mine," Ruki disagreed. "I am the cute boy, but I'm no longer open because this hot piece of ass is already rented out."

Is he talking about himself or me? He better not be talking about me or I swear...

"Gentlemen please," Umi cut in again."Restrain your vulgar language. Aoi-san. Uruha-san. I would imagine you have other things to do?"

Aoi looked like he wanted to snicker at Ruki but Umi must have reminded him.

"Oh yeah. Uruha and I have some human hunting to do, and we'll most likely be at it until evening rolls around."

Human hunting? What does he mean?

"Ah, on the lookout for seals I imagine," Ruki hummed. "Well, I need to do the same when I am not busy here."

Aoi and Uruha stood and got ready to leave, but not before Ruki gets to his feet too.

"I need to find out a proper schedule so I can work in my seal hunting with my protection," he says and gave me a hopeful glance. "I'll be right back. Please don't go anywhere without me."

Is he worried again? I'm not so dumb as to go out when demons are roaming about. I have more self preservation than that.

"I won't. Umi is with me. I'll be okay."

Uruha but his lip, and before following Aoi into the hallway he gave me one last piece of advice.

"Brianna. I know this is scary. But I'll still come visit you when I get the chance. I promise."

I smiled and stood I to see him off, and ignored the pondering stare from Ruki.

"Don't let me take time from your human hunting. I know this is important for you, for all of us. Ruki can protect me now, but I'm grateful to know that you will come back."

Aoi seemed impressed, and gave me a smirk before putting an arm around Uruha.

"Smart girl. I think you'll get along here just fine."

Did he... Just praise me? He must have, because Uruha stared at him for a few seconds in surprise and couldn't respond properly. But he was already out of the door and Ruki sighed in relief. Even I couldn't believe it. I thought he wanted to rip my throat open.

"That guy is such a pain in the ass," Ruki complained. "But... I guess I have to get used to it."

And that. Right there. That was why I knew it had to be a joke. Ruki being open minded was not normal. Even Umi had to stare at him in confusion.

"Um... I... I'll be here til you get back," I said and sat back down on my couch. He smiled at me, and for once it was a smile that made my chest... Hurt. But not in a bad way?

"I'll come back soon. And Umi will keep you safe, I promise."


	16. Stubborn - Second Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being a little late to update, I've been having internet and personal issues the last few days xP But I hope to get back into my usual routine! Thanks so much!

**Uruha POV**

Ruki still upsets me, and I don't trust him. Hell I might not ever trust him. And knowing what he did to Brianna made my feelings towards him even worse. There was nothing more that I wanted than to keep their contact to an absolute minimum. But... I know that it would be selfish of me to keep them apart. Our bodies need their markers nearby, even if not at all times it will more than likely control us now. As things are now, Aoi is my only tether to life and sanity in this hell hole.

Ruki is her best chance at surviving in this place. Without him, she is just a toy. A play thing for these damned demons to play with as they please. And I can't let that happen. I made her a promise to get her out of here in one piece. And that is what I am going to do no matter what. And if surrendering myself to being with Aoi at all times then so be it.

The first steps in this new life of ours is never going to be easy. But necessary if you don't wish to be eaten by predators. Aoi was the lesser of many evils roaming this damned institution. And if he was my best shot...

"Hey."

Oh. I was daydreaming again. I looked up from the bed, and he was staring at me intensely. Somehow we managed to get back to our room without raising suspicion as those demons had wandered off somewhere else.

"Huh? Sorry I was... lost in thought."

He made a face akin to exasperation and reached a hand out to me. Instinctively my cheek finds it's embrace and he is pressing a thumb to my mouth. Again, I really hate how naturally it comes to me to do that.

"Worrying about useless things again?"

I grimaced at him but he continued to feel my mouth.

"They're not useless things," I argued. "They're important, at least to me."

He hummed and continued to molest my lips with his thumb, pressing it inside and forcing me to feel it against my tongue. Why was he always such a pervert... Even in times like this he managed to be a completely shameless heathen.

"Mm I see. Do they include me?" He inquired and brought his face closer to mine. I could already feel my heart creating a loud pounding in my chest and my tongue goes dry.

"You would love that wouldn't you?"

Aoi grinned and stared me deep in the eyes. From here, I could see the absolute glee and anticipation in them despite what he knew we had to do next.

"I would. Knowing I'm a part of your thoughts would bring me so much enjoyment, like you have no idea."

What a charmer. I bet he managed to get all the ladies back where he was from.

"Humph. If you must know, I was just wondering how I managed to get myself in this mess in the first place. Though i suppose I have you to thank for turning my life into one of turmoil."

His grin only widened, and the closer he got the more I could feel his cool breath on my face. But he didn't really answer that statement. Instead he (surprise surprise) just stared at my mouth for a few seconds before kissing me again.

Slow but deliberate he didn't go farther than a gentle press but I still felt my breath leave my lungs in a breathless huff. And as usual, his face is calm despite the raging bull in my chest.

"I guess I can say the same about you."

He didn't do anything else but he made me dress 'more appropriately for our mission' as he put it not so delicately as he forced me into wearing all leather everything. Then he found that mask from before and puts me at his hip before we try to leave.

"I'll need to put a seal on our door so nothing happens in the middle of the night," he muttered and pressed a burn mark to the door with just his fingers. "Can't have them dragging you off can we?"

The very thought of being kidnapped by bloodthirsty demons as I slept made my skin crawl. Instinctively I pressed closer, ignoring the way he smirked.

"No. I'd rather stay in my room than risk that."

He laughs and looked around the corridor before attempting to leave the only sense of safety we had. Everything was dark, and no one kept feeding the fireplace so it went out. There were only a few burning embers left behind. It almost felt like a ghost could be watching us at any time.

"We have to go through the hornet's nest to get to the second floor. So you had best not let go of me."

He didn't have to tell me twice. Sticking to him like glue became something of a talent of mine the last few days. Normally my prideful nature wouldn't allow for such a thing but nowadays... I might have to if I want to keep the skin on my body.

I didn't answer verbally, but he just have known that I agreed because his grip on my hip tightens as we left our section of the floor. The now sort of repaired corridor was lit up, and all the broken windows were replaced with new ones. The sky was still as gloomy as ever, the clouds forcing it to hide behind a dark blanket. But at least it was behind glass this time.

But besides the people working to fix it up I didn't see any signs if our new 'guests,' so that can't be good. Now we have to be even more wary.

"Where are they?" I asked. Aoi became concerned and held me closer.

"I don't know, but we have to keep them away from the second floor. Who knows what kind if destruction they can cause around a bunch of humans? And unMarked ones at that. We have to hurry."

That was something I still don't understand. How come they can harm humans, whether they are Marked or not? When Aoi and Ruki care so much about a human having a Mark or not and it dictates their involvement with said human?

"Why can't they go in a Marked room but they can touch a Marked human?" I found myself wondering. We slowly went through the hallways, making sure not to make any noise.

"It's... It's very complicated," he admits with a quiet sigh. "When you become a rogue you don't care about physical boundaries when it comes to humans and demons. But when it comes to places... Its a different story. I'll explain it to you more some other time."

It was making him tense, I could feel the pickling unease just under my skin just from that one answer. So I didn't try to ask again, knowing I would get my answer somehow. But I do have to wait I guess. This wasn't exactly a time for leisurely questions. People looked at us silently, the maids and workers keeping their hands busy. It was... weird though. Despite the light and people around here the air still felt ice cold. I wonder why that is... It still felt like something was watching me. Maybe that first day I was here I wasn't really going crazy. I hoped not, but at the same time maybe I wish I was.

It would make all of this nonsense seem less as intimidating, if that made any sense. At least if I was crazy it would make me less of a psychopath.

But the second floor was a welcome change from the oppression in that hallway, even the stairwell was a welcome sight. It was warmer due to the lack of windows, but it was still colder than our room. Our room... Okay maybe I am crazy.

Aoi looked around the empty corridor of this floor, and took a deep inhale through his mask.

"Okay, Well. I think we should be able to get something done here. I can tell this place was not empty for very long, a day at most. But still, we should keep our eyes peeled for any movement."

Was this Normally what he did for work? He seems so unusually professional. Not at all what I had learned him to be like. But every person has two faces, I know that now at least.

But Being in this corridor again after only a day only served to make it all the more eerie. The last time I was still normal, I was with that nurse who was... Now dead. I know it wasn't my fault, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. If anything it was... It was Reita's fault. He and Ruki were the ones who killed all those people. But under who's orders? Oh yeah. Aoi.

"Whats wrong?" He asked me. "I can feel the tenseness rolling off of you."

But I shook my head, unable to meet his gaze. The memory of seeing all that destruction even though I saw no bodies was why felt this way. Reita had no reason to kill them if he was just supposed to find me. So why...

"It's nothing," I quickly denied. "I'll... Tell you later."

"Are you sure?"

He stepped towards me. But I avoided the hand reaching for my arm by stepping away and heading for the door at the end.

"Its nothing, like I said. I'm fine."

Aoi frowned but didn't push it, probably able to tell I was uncomfortable with it. At least he understood when not to cross the line with me, even if he did it a bunch of times already. This was one of those times.

We walked quietly without talking for a while, content to let the silence fester until he gasped suddenly, grabbing my arm.

"Whoa what?"

He repeatedly tapped on my arm, his eyes widening.

"Through there. I can feel something in there. Come on, its human I can tell."

He ran for the door, forcing me to run after him.

"Wait!"

His body slammed into the door and he stopped at the opening, letting his eyes take everything in. I felt him grow confused, then quietly he became furious. Is he... Just now seeing the damage done in here?

"Aoi?" No answer. "Aoi whats going on?"

He slowly walked aside, letting me come in behind him. The room was the same, only now the blood had been left out so now it was all dried and gave off a sickening salty and sweet smell. The drag marks still made my skin crawl.

And the nurse... Was nowhere to be seen? The blood splatter where her body laid up against the right wall was still there below a window but... Her body was nowhere to be found. Did someone move her? Or... Or something even worse? I followed him through the room, not saying a thing. But I could feel the anger in his chest and it made me feel like I wanted to hit something out of frustration.

"What the hell is this?" He growled, looking at the blood. "Where did all of this come from?"

"You don't even know?" I asked skeptically, the anger I felt from him making my mood even more sour. "Those friends of yours did this while looking for Brianna. It traumatized her. Didn't you tell them to do it?"

He got confused, and stared at me with a deep underlying irritation.

"No, I didn't tell them to do shit," he snapped at me. "I was too busy worrying about finding you to worry about what they were doing. Ruki and Reita are responsible for their own actions, just because I'm their leader doesn't mean I'm responsible for everything they do."

Wait... He didn't do this? Then why...

"Then what is this supposed to mean? Ruki and Reita killed a bunch of people, why would they do that?"

He growled again and stomped through the room, stopping at the junction where this room split into the hallway with patient rooms. The hallway where Brianna used to spend every day waiting for someone to take her home.

"Like they'll tell me if I asked," he sighed and kicked a nearby chair over. "Reita's always been like this. Acting without thinking and complaining about the consequences way after with Ruki attached to him like a blood thirsty parasite. Honestly this is why we got trapped here in the first place."

"So... So Ruki and Reita did this of their own accord."

"Exactly. I had nothing to do with this.

The realization hit me. And I realized it had to do with something that should have been obvious from the start. I can't believe I missed it..!

"...Brianna."

Aoi's face twisted into another scowl, and I could tell he hadn't caught on.

"What does she have to do with this?" He angrily growled. I glared at him and ignored that question as I began to walk past him to her room, and he followed me. "Kouyou, answer me!"

But I slammed it open and went inside. There I had my answer. The nurse. Her body was there, lying on the bed and staining in a deep rusty red.  Her eyes were gouged out and the uniform on her body was ripped, showing lacerations all over her body.

Was Ruki trying to be funny? Well this ain't funny. It was just downright sadistic and cruel.

"Isn't it obvious?" I sighed, the anger having been draining my energy. "Reita was jealous of her. He wanted to vent his anger out in some way and so he... Killed everyone. That's what I think happened."

Aoi slowly entered the room, having been standing at the doorway the whole time.

"And Ruki joined in," he voiced quietly. "Because they couldn't even find her the first time. Dam. It... This really crosses the line. I told them not to kill humans and this is how they repay me. And the fact that there are no bodies to speak of is even more concerning. We need to find them and give them a proper burial by fire."

Now the anger was turning into exhaustion. Now I could tell He was just as upset as me. I slid down the wall, my arms and legs feeling like jelly and I felt like I would collapse. Maybe it would be better if I was crazy. At least reality wouldn't be as fucked up as it is now.

He sat beside me, his body slumped into a poor posture. Reita and Ruki didn't tell him about this and that pissed him off. But more than anything, i could feel him becoming immensely melancholic.

"I'm tired of this," I sighed, wiping my eyes. "I know its only been a day but I can already tell that whatever else we have to do, I feel like I belong here more and more and I hate it. I don't know what to do anymore."

Maybe this place was where I was meant to be after all. Not as a doctor, but as one of the lost souls that was doomed to stay trapped here forever. Maybe coming to peace with it would only serve to make me incredibly numb to everything, even more so than now.

But feeling Aoi shift closer to me only made my body respond with happiness. Even more reason i belonged here. Maybe this was what Shinya was talking about. My body was changing so I craved Aoi more and more. If this continues I don't know if i can handle it.

"Kou... It's gonna be alright," he murmured, his legs touching mine. "I'll make sure they're properly punished for this. Its the last time I'll let them piss me off this much."

The fact that he was being nice to me wasn't even in my radar. I was just so upset.

"It's not even just about this anymore," I huffed, closing my eyes as my head thunked against the wall. "Its just. Knowing I'll have to deal with this sort of thing even more if I want to survive. This is my life now. And I want to be upset, I want to be mad. At you, at everything around me. But..."

I sighed, the irritation tapering off into just... exhaustion. Sleep was sounding really good right now. Even though we just got here I wanted to leave.

Aoi scoots even closer, his head finding solace on my shoulder as usual as I stared at the corpse on the bed. I can't even feel horrified. I don't know what I should feel anymore.

"But..?" He asked slowly, his eyes closed. My chest hurts when I let out my held in breath.

"But... I don't have the strength to care. Not anymore."

Aoi didn't answer, instead one if his hands found mine and he clasped our fingers together. My heart felt even heavier, and I couldn't stop myself from squeezing right so I wouldn't lose my mind.

I don't know how long we stayed here. Half an hour to an hour maybe, as the sun was already low beneath the far off mountain. It was dark out, meaning that my options for light were limited. I didn't even bring my phone, and all the electricity on this floor was out. The room became a dark gray color, and the shadows from the sun dipping past the trees cast us into darkness.

The cold feeling crept back into my body and I shivered. Maybe we should go.

"Come on," He mumbled quietly and stood as he tugged me to my feet. "We have more work to do, you and I. There is someone here, I know It."

Ah. That was true, I didn't want to fall asleep here and freeze to death.

"What about her?" I asked, sparing a glance at the poor woman on the bed. He sighed and with a seemingly regretful face he shook his head.

"I'll have Kai come down here and take her outside to burn the body. If she stays like this she will either decompose or attract even more demons."

Poor girl... She had no idea what horrors were to be released when she left me alone. Maybe if I hadn't taken this job she would still be alive. The guilt made me even more tired and I sighed, my eyes feeling droopy.

We left the room and started to look through more rooms, just finding nothing in them but empty beds and paper strewn about the floor. No other humans. Weird. I thought he felt another presence here somewhere? Just gotta keep looking.

"What are you gonna do about Reita and Ruki?"

Aoi's face, even behind the mask, became angry again. The grip he had on my hand became tighter and I had to flinch.

"Then your friend will have to forgive me if her favorite little midget ends up with a missing limb or two."

And with that he went to the very end, where he stopped suddenly.

"Aoi?"

He held up a hand to shush me.

"Human," he whispered. "And my next seal."

Slowly he opened the door, wary of what may be inside. There, like he suspected, was another human. A man, clearly a nurse judging by the uniform, and he was unconscious, chained to a rusty radiator pipe sticking out from the floor on his knees. He was young and had soft light brunette hair to his neck, and a myriad of tattoos, human made, across his arms.

There were candles, five of them and all black, in a circle around his slumped form. And just like Shinya. He had marks all over his body that hid the tattoos. Cuts and bruises were everywhere, on his face and under the torn uniform.

"Here you are," Aoi cooed and kneeled in front of the human male. "Poor creatures, so delicate and fragile. I almost feel bad for what I have to do to you, but I need my powers back."

He pulled a dagger from his jacket, and I saw a glint on the silver blade from a nearby window that let in the moon light.

"Aoi-"

"Kouyou look away again, this won't be at all pretty. Its best for you to not see."

Again? Why did he insist on sheltering me? I need to face this if I'm going to help him.

"No."

Surprised he stared at me, and I could tell He wanted so bad to make me look away.

"Kouyou," he warned but I kept my eyes on him.

"No, I'm not gonna stay a coward forever Aoi. You wanted my help, so let me help."

He got increasingly anxious and wanted me to look away. But I kept arguing, telling him that I wanted to help.

"Kouyou please, I can't subject you to this."

"We're wasting time," I snapped finally. "Time we could be spending to look for more people. Do we really need to do this? Or are you gonna continue to treat me like a child?"

Aoi tensed, and I felt his apprehension. He knows I'm right though, I can tell. His shoulders slumped again and he let his fingers nearly drop the knife.

"You know," he said with a defeated and hollow laugh. "You're really stubborn. Even more so than I thought. Am I really going to have to put up with that for the rest if my life?"

So he finally gets it. Humans were fiercely independent in some cases, my own situation being a good example of that. I smirked and stepped into the closet, closing the door behind me as I did. My heart was pounding but I pressed myself into his side as usual and he sucked in a deep breath.

Quietly I grasped the hand that held the dagger and I squeezed his fingers. They were cold but familiar. It was enough.

"I could say the same thing about you, Aoi. So you might as well get used to it."


	17. Broken - Second Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uruha's POV, next will be switched up :D

This wasn't at all the level of forgiveness that I thought him to be capable of. Which was probably a mistake on my part. 

I mean... Aoi is a demon, a creature not of my world or any other world that was natural. A cold-blooded murder happy killer with no sense of regret and a childish yet dangerous possessive streak. I had the bruises on my body to prove that. 

Now that I think about it, this was no different. Maybe I should have expected this, as I don't know him nearly as well as I think I do. 

His eyes turned to their former cold facade from before we got here. Challenging, threatening. His fingers had tangled in the unkempt hair of the poor guy in the closet and yanked his head up to show his neck that was littered in cuts and scrapes. How did he end up in here? Did one of the cultists drag him in here as an unwilling victim? It was... Plausible. How long has he been here I wonder...

In his hand, he still held that dagger and he was breathing so quietly I almost thought he wasn't. Then he kneeled down and held the dagger to the boy's neck. And in a swift motion, I almost felt my heart stop. He didn't even say anything as he did it.

Blood spewed everywhere. Spilling from the flesh that was cut open with a sickening wet squishing. It bubbled from his throat in cascades and his eyes shot open only for a brief few seconds. Fear. Agony. Despair. It was all shown in those few seconds. His chest heaved with wet gargling coughs as more red liquid spilled from his lips and down his throat to mix with the drops from his throat. 

I almost couldn't look away. His eyes held mine so tightly that I couldn't.... I can't move. A normal human would be running away, screaming for their own life. So why aren't I?

"Kouyou. We should go, he doesn't have much life left in him. And I don't want to be here when the next demon shows up. It's best to leave him be."

His eyes grew heavy and they closed with pain, his breaths coming raggedly as he slowly bled and choked to death. Aoi stood up, no remorse in his eyes as we watched the human die before our eyes. Slowly his chokes stopped, as did his flailing. I listened to Aoi and left, with him right behind me. 

*******************

As it turned out, there was a reason he wore that mask all the time. It helped him to breathe through the supposed holy environment as a demon. There were holy water and iron paraphernalia everywhere, so he had to be really careful. There was nothing like that on our floor so he didn't have to wear it there. I asked him why it was he could touch me so easily. He just smiled at me and held my hand tight. 

"Because you don't even believe in the first place."

I guess maybe it was better to have not asked that at all. He was far too happy about that too, and the fact that he made it even worse by admitting that he had a hand in all of it irritated me.

But he didn't really care that it irritated me. Instead, he just laughed and dragged me all through the second floor to look for people But to my relief and his dismay we found no one. Not a single person aside from the one in the closet. It took us an hour to go through everything for nothing. Just great.

Well, at least it meant I could go back and have my shower and a nap now. Hopefully an Aoi-less one. I don't even want to think about what I just saw and I need to scrub the image of that out of my brain. If there was indeed a new demon there now I don't want to see him.

"You're tired aren't you?"

Gee, was it that obvious?

"Yeah, no shit."

He snickered and bumped our shoulders together. We walked for a while, ready to go back upstairs until he grabbed my arm and stopped me. What is he doing?

"Hey," he murmured in the small space of the stairwell. "Wanna do something tonight?"

Oh, oh my God. He is planning something, isn't he? Of course he is. I rolled my eyes at him and he pouts. 

"If you're planning on jumping me somewhere no one can see us, then I don't think so."

Getting jumped by a demon in a dark place where no one could possibly come to help me, that was just a disaster waiting to happen. If he thinks I'm gonna do that...

"No no not that," he argued. "I mean, I want to go outside again. I haven't since we brought that woman back. I wanna go see the moon when it isn't covered by the windows! Please? It'll be like a date!"

A... Date? Is he serious? I'm pretty sure my eyebrows rose high on my face because of that.

"A Date? With you? You got to be kidding me."

"Come on!" Aoi whined and tugged on my hand even more. He's acting like a child again. "Come on I want to go on a date with you. The only way I can know more about you is if we actually try to make this work. Don't you think so?"

So he wants to make this work. Whatever  _this_  is...

"What exactly is this supposed to be?"

Aoi dragged me down the steps to the first floor where the walls were just as paint chipped as everywhere else. The Jesus statue was now knocked over too, still leaking that black liquid.

"This relationship of course. As my human, we need to bond if you don't want to eventually die of heartbreak. Right?"

"Heartbreak? And where the heck are we going?"

Does that mean he knows about Brianna's feelings? I'll admit, I've known for a while about it but I... I didn't want to do much at first because we've only been in a professional relationship, and I've only known her for three days. How am I supposed to pursue a romantic relationship with her? For all I knew I wasn't supposed to do that anyway. But now that all of this happened I won't ever have that chance now that I'm Marked.

We walked to the back of the buildings main floor where there was a closed off area. There was a big metal plaque over some closed doors that said " **kitchens** " in big black letters.

"There is a place I know that is through here that I want to show you. And well, I know what that girl feels for you," he mumbled and opens the doors. "I have been around humans for a long time, baby doll. I know misled affection when I see it. The eyes are the windows to the soul, as they say. When I see her look at you, aside from the jealousy I feel I see how she feels. You saved her, and you're the only one who helped her when all this started. And I understand that I really do. But she was already Marked. That's why I don't understand your relationship. The fact that she was already claimed and had the audacity to still pursue you. It still makes me scratch my head even now, but humans are weird."

The kitchens were as abandoned as everywhere else. The sink was full of unwashed dishes, pots and pans hung on the four stone walls gathering dust. A large freezer sat under a broken window with its hinge wide open. But it was empty. Aoi turned up his nose and managed to finally take off his mask, taking a deep breath before attaching it to his belt like before. 

"Like I said," I muttered with a deep sigh. "I don't know what it will take to get through your head, but humans like us need companionship. Even if I never pursue her like that, she needs another human being around her. Demons aren't going to be all she wants around her, and without me, I know that Ruki will twist and warp her mind until all she knows is him and his presence. She'll go insane, and she'll forget everything about who she was. That's not what I want for her at all. Do you understand?"

His face twisted into a confused expression, and he ran a clawed hand through his hair. But he surprised me by opening the big wooden door and holding it open for me. His lips twisted into a smile and he urged me to go through it. Is he being polite for once?

"I still don't get it," he mumbled. "But... We have time to learn, me and Ruki. Even if it confuses us, and even if it makes us angry and upset... I'll try. I'll try for you."

He keeps surprising me. I never know what he wants to do next. How am I going to live with this from now on? At this rate, I'll die from shock or surprise. 

The door showed a forest beyond it, but even then I saw something else that surprised me. A playground..? Was this what he wanted to show me?

"Aoi... You're acting like a desperate boyfriend trying to get their girlfriend back," I can't help but laugh, feeling the sound bubbling in my chest. "And a playground is for kids. What exactly are you trying to achieve here?" 

I stood at the doorway, taking in the scenery. It was dark, but the spotty light coming from the moon behind the clouds. Ah, I almost forgot... there is going to be an eclipse tomorrow. I wonder if it will affect him. 

"Isn't that what this kind of is?" he laughed. "And I thought you would need a moment to relax after what we just saw and what I just did. I have no ulterior motives here, I swear."

He stood behind me, putting his arms around my waist. I had long since learned to accept it, knowing that he could easily pin me down if he wanted to. Besides, he felt strangely warm and it was cold out here. His words did little to embarrass me, I know he was just being soft for my sake. Well... I guess it can't hurt. I haven't seen a swing set in years since I moved to Tokyo. Even less since I became a man of the Church. Well I guess I am a former one now. 

"You're such a sap," I huffed and pushed him away, not too hard, before stepping onto the cold concrete of the playground. "Why did they build this behind the building and not in the front where the kids could see more light? I don't get that at all."

It was surrounded on all sides by trees, big giant cedars that looked hundreds of years old. The edges of the pavement were cracked and had weeds growing through them. The slide was covered in rust and moisture, the swingset with dull blue rubber seats was wet with leftover morning dew that the cloudy days didn't allow to evaporate. Even the sandbox looked nefarious, the grains wet and soggy. Did kids really play here? 

"I don't know," he answered. "But the swings are big enough to hold us I think. Do you want to try?"

He wanted me to go on them? 

"I don't know," I nervously laughed and inched closer to the wall where metal benches were bolted to the wall. Also rusty but covered in paint. "It's been a long time, I don't know if I can anymore."

He laughed but tugged on my arm, insisting that I followed him. 

"Come on you gotta try! Even I know how!" 

Is he... Is he happy? Like, actually happy? I... I haven't seen him laugh like that in all the time I was here. All his laughs from before were cynical or had some sort of underlying tone that unnerved me. His face was shining bright, and his smile was stretched across his face. There was a slight zephyr around us that lifted the locks of his hair around his face to frame his eyes. 

It hurt to see it, to see him looking so...  _human_. He looked truly carefree in those few seconds and my heart thudded in my ears. 

"O-okay," I finally managed to cough out. "You know, I haven't done this since I was a kid..."

"You'll be fine," he promised and led me to the ancient swings that swayed in the wind. "I'll sit beside you, we don't even have to swing that much." 

He swept the water off of one of the swings and offered it to me. The chains holding it up were covered in rust, so I used my jacket that he gave me to cover my hands before grabbing them and sitting. My legs felt squished and the rubber was cold. Aoi sat near me, not before wiping the water off of course. 

I could already feel many memories coming back to me from my school days by sitting here. It felt... Weird. 

"I remember something from a long time ago."

He tilted his head curiously, slowly kicking himself off the ground to swing on a gentle rhythm.

"Really?" he asked and stared back at the building. "Why don't you open up about it, hmm? Maybe this is a chance for us to finally understand one another."

That made me laugh too, a little bit under my breath. 

"Really. Then what exactly am I going to get from opening my soul to you?" 

The gears in his head turned again, and he hummed. 

"Mmm, I promise I won't get in the way of your shower tonight. And I'll... cuddle you a little bit less."

Huh. So he would really give up that part huh. Only one night had passed, but I know that he loved to cuddle me, especially during the early morning. 

"Seriously? You'd promise to give that up? You're more desperate than I thought." 

At my jab Aoi just slowed his swinging, still smiling despite that. 

"I know. And I don't think I will break that promise, demons are very loyal to promises. And I know you have something deep and revealing to spill."

He continued to smile like a big kid. And my chest kept hurting.  The words came pouring out of my lips, and I couldn't stop talking once I started. That was always a flaw of mine.

"It's dumb but... My mom would always take me to one park in my hometown, Kanagawa," I started. He listened to me with a close attention. "It was one just like this... But the swings were a lot nicer. I always remembered a big cherry tree next to the swings, I could almost feel the petals that fell on my hands as I swang. There were a lot of kids there but I liked being by myself despite that. But then... They knocked that tree down one day in my second year of middle school. Mom told me that I... cried a lot that day. She took me to another park with another tree, a big cedar tree, but it wasn't the same. I don't know why, but... remembering that tree reminds me of that swing set. That was what I remembered..."

The image of my mom suddenly brought a choking feeling, and I almost felt my voice break. Aoi stopped swinging fully, probably feeling how the emotions were clogging up my throat. 

"Kou... I didn't know how much swing sets meant to you."

Aww, that's cute. 

"It's not just about the swing set," I croaked quietly. "I remembered because of my mom, I grew to love being outside. I was an introvert, but because of her, I learned to appreciate nature and fresh air. That was my favorite tree too. WIthout her I... I would have still been there, stuck with a farming or office job so I..."

I trailed off. I can't talk about her now, just thinking about how sad she would be made my chest tighten uncomfortably. Why is this bothering me? There were times when I said this to other people but... I never lost my nerve like this. And now, in front of him..! 

"Are you okay?" 

I felt him touch my shoulder and shocks seemed to pass through me. A shudder rippled through my arm and I almost lost my grip on the chain. What the hell is happening to me? 

"I'm sorry, I... I don't even know what is happening right now," I nervously laughed and tried to hide the way my voice cracked. "I know, it was silly of me to bring it up."

Aoi shook his head. 

"No it isn't silly," he disagreed and kicked his legs back and forth. "Memories are precious, especially for a human like you who is so in tune with things around them. If I was able to remember my human life, I would probably have memories of that nature to reveal too. So don't feel bad."

There it is again. That comforting tone. Almost as if he actually had a heart to care. Well, it was working, damn it.

"All right. I think I just need a few minutes." 

He nods, his hair framing his face again. 

"Do you need to go to bed? It is almost nine at night."

Part of me wanted to argue, to say that we had just got here. But then maybe he was right. I don't like being outside at night, especially with a forest at our backs like this. It made me nervous. Plus... I don't want to dwell on this for much longer than I need to. And I am getting kind of hungry.

"I'm okay," I breathed deeply and started my own slow rhythm on the swing. "Give me five minutes."

Aoi felt skeptical, and his hand on my shoulder slowly tightened and he smiled at me. A gentle smile that made me turn my eyes away. 

"Okay. Whenever you're ready Kouyou."

Then he leaned over in his swing and tilted up my face. Our eyes met and I could swear, even without our Mark connecting us I could feel myself unable to resist admitting to myself that he was... Irritatingly beautiful. And as he kissed me in a soothing manner before resuming his own swinging, I hung my head in shame.

_'I'm hopeless.'_

"Thanks."

"Anytime baby doll."

We swung in silence for ten minutes before we left and made our way back upstairs. Everything was dark and quiet, meaning Brianna was most likely asleep by now. Only Umi was awake, sitting in the couch nearest the fireplace, exactly where I left Brianna. She noticed us and stood up quickly. 

"Ah, Aoi-sama, Uruha-sama," she greets and bows. "I was wondering when you would come back. The Lady has eaten and gone to bed. Ruki is out patrolling the grounds and Reita is looking in the forest for more people. We can relax for tonight."

Relax? 

"What of the other demons?" he asked. She smiled and sat back down. 

"I marked the Front door." 

Ah, so that explained it. Well if we could relax...

"I'm going to take a shower and then go to bed," I announced and walk away. Aoi follows right behind me as usual.

"Do you want something to eat?" he asks me as I rifled through my clothes for something to sleep in. "I know you must be hungry right?" 

"Yeah, if you can," I teased. "Just keep the cow hearts and human fingers to a minimum okay?" 

Another laugh. Another twinge. 

"Don't worry, I don't think I have hearts anywhere in my possession. But, it'll be here when you get back."

Then he let me go and I had to ignore the way my skin burned when he touched me. It made me nervous.

I showered quickly and returned to a weird sight. Aoi had brought me a bowl of rice and plain wooden chopsticks. It wasn't much, but I hadn't expected to see that of all things. He sat with me at the small desk and waited for me to finish and brush my teeth before turning off the light and slipping into the sheets with me. 

I half expected his arms to go around me, but... it didn't happen. Instead, he just laid really close and gave me most of the covers. A sweet but unneeded gesture on his part. I shivered from the cold air and buried my face in the covers. It was much... lonelier this way. 

"Kouyou?" he suddenly whispered, making me almost jump. 

"Hm."

"Are you cold?" 

_'No.'_

"Yes."

A soft giggle at my ear. 

"I thought so. Want me to fix it?" 

_'Hell no.'_

"Yes... please."

_'Damn it.'_

His arms formed a protective cage around my waist and I had to stop myself from burying my face even deeper into the covers. Maybe like this, I can slowly suffocate to death. All of him was pressed against me now, his legs finding their place tangled in mine. 

"Mm, you know what?" he breathed in my ear, cold and dry. "We should change to the room on the end, the one with the fireplace. It's not fair if Pink lady is the only one with it."

Pink Lady?

"You know, you should memorize names better." 

But he just tightened his grip on me, pressing his lips to my neck then my ear. 

"I do, I just prefer Pink Lady. It makes her more of a mystery in my eyes. Plus, first name basis is still far away to us."

How childish. 

"Well whatever," I yawned and tried to nonchalantly snuggle into the covers. "I'm going to sleep now. We have more work to do tomorrow."

He nods and pressed his fingers against my rib cage. 

"Mhm, we do indeed. More seals to break, more people to kill, and more demons to meet. A lot of work indeed. Oh, and there is something I want to show you when you wake up." 

I cracked an eye open. 

"You can't show it to me now?"

"No, I want to keep it a surprise til morning." 

Ugh, how annoying. If he wants to be that way I won't push it. 

"Okay, fine."

"Good night, Kouyou."

His voice was hoarse and tired, but the husky tone made me shiver. 

"Good... Night, Aoi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for a late update, I have been dealing with some issues so updates might be a little slower from now on :) But I hope the content is worth the lateness! More soon~


	18. Venom - Third Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for another late update, I've been stressed out with work and life lately. So my updates will probably be late still. But I hope to find a pattern soon ;3;

****** Brianna POV **

I fell asleep before he came back, and sometime during the night, I started having a dream.

It was a weird dream. Something felt different. There was a field of wildflowers of all kinds, and it was really huge. The moon was full and gave off a brilliant sheen of light. I was on my back and I felt relaxed. But there was a darkness seeping into the edges of my vision. Like shadows creeping just on my periphery but before my eyes could pin it down it moved away from my focus. Something was keeping me from seeing it all the way.

Then the flowers turned to hands. I could feel them grabbing at me and holding me down. My throat burned from screaming without noise. It felt like they were suffocating me! My throat felt like it was constricting. I can't get any air! I feel like I'm drowning! 

_'Help me..! Help!'_

Then a feeling in my chest hit me like a splash of cold water and I forced myself to wake up but I... I could feel a weird feeling in my chest. A burning sensation, like something... Something was wrong. I still can't breathe! Something is pressing on my throat and squeezing my lungs. Ice spiked through my body. It felt like a million bugs were biting me all over. Then it spread to my arms. To my legs. It even spread to my stomach. Everything felt like I was burning but also covered in the coldest ice. 

"Umi," I wailed. "Umi!"

My voice... It sounds so pitiful but I managed to make it high enough. I screeched and screeched but then finally the door came open. It was her and she looked like she as panicking.

"My Lady?" She asked and rushed over to me. "Is something wrong? What is the matter?"

My throat was scratchy and I wheezed from a sharp pain in my stomach. It hurts!

"I... c-can't breathe..! Where's R-Ruki..?"

At his name being said she paled and bites her lip and fussed over me, patting my back to help me breathe. Then she got water from the pitcher on my bed table and made me swallow it down. 

"He's... Busy," was all she said. "But it looks like you need him soon, your body is looking for him. I'll get you some inhibitors from the maids."

"In...Inhibitors..? What is that?"

The burning felt like it got worse. But she pats me on the head, a nervous smile on her thin lips.

"Inhibitors will help the pain, my dear. He is too far away for me to call him but the nurses can help. Just hang on okay?"

Umi gave me more water, which soothed me a little bit, before calling for a nurse. The water only helped a little bit, the scratchy feeling making it feel like it hurt just to talk.

"Where is he..? Why is he so far away?" I asked her and she froze again. "Umi?"

She was... uncomfortable with me asking? But why?

"He is busy," she said again, slower this time. "I don't know where he is, but I imagine he will be back soon. You can't be apart for too long as he knows already..."

There it is again, she was dodging the question. What the heck is going on? I felt another stab and she made a face akin to panic.

"Where is Uruha? Can I talk to him at least?"

Umi twists her hands in her apron, clearly perturbed. It was then that another nurse came in, holding a small bottle full of... Pills?

"Okay, but please take the inhibitors first, they will help you a lot."

So what the hell are they?

"Not until you tell me what they are. I'm not taking them until I know what to expect from that."

Umi gave me a cup full of water and a small red capsule.

"It will lessen the pain from being far from Ruki this long, I had the nurses go home specifically for them because I knew this was going to happen. You're feeling the symptoms of the Mark straining from the distance between you and Ruki-sama. The inhibitors block the side effects but only for a while. Please, take them."

Now she looked desperate, frantic almost. Well... She has no reason to lie to me, right? And if it made this feeling go away then...

"Fine. But when he comes back I need to see Uruha first."

I took the capsule and swallowed it down with the water, and it left a chalky taste in my mouth.

"It'll take a few minutes but you should start feeling better. I'll go get the Doctor so please, wait for me."

Umi gave me a worried look before leaving me alone. This is really not good... My body is already depending on Ruki to this extent, even if I hate it myself. Was this what Uruha was going through too? Or was it too soon since I was Marked way before he was? I hope... he won't have to feel it.

She was gone only for a while before coming back with Uruha right behind her. Umi must have told her what happened because he looked really worried about me.

"Brianna! Are you okay? What happened?"

"I... I don't know," I admitted, pulling the blanket up to my chin. "My throat just started to burn and I couldn't breathe. My chest hurts too."

Now that I was alone I felt so self-conscious when he was around me, and I don't know even know why.

Uruha and Umi shared a confused look before he sat on the couch across from me where I fell asleep last night.

"Maybe you need to see him," he suggested. "I probably won't experience those symptoms for a few more days myself. When exactly did he mark you again? A little over a week now?"

When he talks like this, he really does sound like a doctor. Which he is of course.

"Yeah, it's been... about nine days now. And you have been Marked just three days ago."

Uruha nodded with a grim expression.

"I'm really not looking forward to that," he sighed with a pinch at the bridge of his nose. "Sharing a room with him is bad enough, but having to become so dependent on him will more than likely break me down even worse."

As he took off those glasses he always wore, I could now clearly see the dark circles under his eyes. Was he having trouble sleeping? Or was it something else entirely? Was Aoi... doing something to him?

Suddenly I felt a soothing feeling in my throat and it didn't hurt to breathe as much.

"When that time comes," Umi began and put the bottle on my nightstand near me. "I will get you your own inhibitors. Aoi is in charge though so we have to ask him first."

"Why wouldn't he let Uruha have any?" I asked. She made a troubled face and sat on my bed.

"Well... Honestly? I think he will be selfish and prefer you to feel all the effects, just to keep his hooks in you properly. You know how he is by now..."

Seriously? Is he really willing to put him through this? How heartless..!

"Yes, unfortunately, two days with him has been long enough for me to get an idea. But permission or not, I will get them anyway. I don't care what he says."

Even in the face of danger, Uruha was so fearless. I wish I could be like him.

"So... Where exactly is Aoi?" I asked again. "Is he with Ruki?"

But they shared kook, a look I knew that held a lot of secrets. Was I the only one who didn't know?

"They're... Both busy," was all he said and grimaced. "When I woke up he was gone, and all he left me was a note saying he would be back later this morning. But I don't think you want to keep talking about it. Why don't you have a shower first? Then we can talk."

He seemed intent on that and gave me a stare before he left. I guess there was nothing I could do to change his mind. 

"Umi." 

"Yes, my Lady."

I forced myself to get out of bed, the painkillers making me woozy. I hope that feeling from earlier doesn't come back.

"Can you run a bath for me? I don't feel like standing up today."

///////////////

It was a good thing I decided to take a bath, as I got dizzy as soon as I got into the tub. My head swam, and my tongue felt dry. But at least the feeling from before stayed away. All I felt was a pleasant thrumming from how my heart calmly beat its rhythm as usual. And my lungs sucked in the cool air of mid-fall. What month is it now? I don't remember...

"My Lady, Are you almost done?"

Umi walked in with some clothes, a sleeved but thinly ruffled navy blue dress and white stockings. 

"Yes. I just needed to relax for a bit. I'll come out now."

She held out a towel for me and dried my hair as I dried off before dressing and leaving the bathroom. My stomach growled as she sat me down at that table from last night and had me wait. That was kind of embarrassing...

"The nurses are not bad at cooking human food, I am sure I can bring you something."

Her kindness never failed to make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. 

"Thank you."

Another soft pat to my hair then she is gone, into the corridor that I didn't dare to leave. If only I wasn't trapped here. I would be more than happy to go outside and get more fresh air. But... those other demons were making it kind of difficult right now. And without Ruki, I should be kissing my freedom goodbye. 

But as long as Uruha stayed with me, I would be okay. 

Speaking of which, he came out of his own bedroom to sit near me, and I fidgeted. I can't help it, he still makes me nervous. But he didn't even seem to notice as he began to talk like usual. 

"Brianna. Remember what happened a few days ago?" 

A few days ago? Is he talking about... That incident? 

"Yeah..? Why what's going on?"

Uruha sighed, running a hand through his hair in distress. What was the matter so that he was all worked up? 

"Well... You found out who did it right?" He asked me again. Did I?

"Uh. No, I haven't. Actually."

Where exactly is he going with this? Is he implying that I should?

"Brianna... Aoi is with Ruki. For... For discipline."

"What?"

Every muscle in his neck was straining from the effort as he swallowed hard.

"If it isn't already obvious, Ruki and Reita are responsible for that travesty on your floor. Aoi was incredibly mad.. So if you're feeling any pain in any part of your body that is why."

Wait. Wait. So he's telling me... That Ruki killed all those people? But... How? Was it when they were released and he was looking for me? 

A pit settled in my stomach. My throat burned with tears not even shed yet. Why... WHy would he do this? Why... All those innocent people. All those... Those poor nurses. Just when I thought I knew how he was... I was wrong. Ruki is just a demon after all... Why did I think I could change him...

"He's right," Umi sighed. "I wanted to make sure you took your medicine before I told you. That pain you were feeling wasn't just from that dream you had. You're feeling his pain as your own, just to a lesser degree since they are so far away. If they were closer than a hundred yards you would feel it all."

The pain... wasn't just from sleep paralysis. So what the heck is happening to Ruki?? 

"Uruha... What is Aoi doing to him? Please tell me. Please."

He was hesitant. Understandably so, as he looked really uncomfortable. But if this was hurting me, then I deserved to know. Right? 

"Brianna... I don't know how close you two are," he admits. "I don't know how much you have managed to bond. But Aoi does not care about all of that. He might seem like a cruel person, but I know him now. He knows that random senseless killing is bad and not good. Ruki was in a rage, and killed those people, with the help of Reita. So he got mad, and now they are both being punished."

I don't even want to think about how Aoi was doing it. If the pain I was feeling earlier anything to go off of, and what Umi said about a hundredth of that pain... the idea made me shudder. Aoi was torturing them, he had to be right? There was no other way to explain it. 

Umi tapped a sharpened down pencil to the table, deep in her own thoughts before speaking.

"What kind of pain are you feeling? And in what places?" 

I frowned and unconsciously touched my throat. 

"I... I felt like I was on fire but at the same time, I felt like I was freezing to death. My arms and legs felt like I was being bitten by millions of ants and something was trying to choke me to death. I could even feel sharp pains in my fingers and legs. It was so scary, I thought I would pass out." 

She froze. I saw her swallow and she went paler than normal for her. Did I say something weird? 

"Umi-san?" Uruha asked. "What's wrong? Does that mean anything?" 

The nurses around us seemed to hear me because they all scuttled about even faster, seemingly in fear of what I said. What the heck is going on?

"Good Lord," she whispered, squeezing her eyes closed and dropping the pencil. "Uruha-san... I need a moment to think, sorry. I just... I know what he is doing. Those feelings are all indicative of a typical torture session. The burning and freezing feeling is a holy water treatment. The ant bite sensation is salt and the... The choking. That's iron. Probably in the form of a manacle around the throat. And the pain in your fingers is... Is..." 

Her voice became choked, and Uuha frowned deeply. 

"Umi-san. Please, if this is too much for you to say then..."

She was ready to nod, but I wasn't done. I had to know. What the hell was happening to me. And what I knew would happen to Uruha as well in only a few short days. 

Ruki changed me. He changed me and my body to fit his needs. And he barely even had to touch me. It was both psychological and physical, all with one single damn Mark. Demons... really were scary. 

"No, Umi. I have to know. I don't want to be the only one not knowing what's happening. Not anymore now that I'm free. I'm his human now. I... I have to."

Even if I had to interrogate her I have to know. There was far too much at stake here now, my insanity included.

"My Lady... If what I know about Aoi is true then... Most likely he has gotten his favorite method of... Of hurting people back. When they come back, you'll figure it out."

Neither of them said anything else after that. Uruha was stressing out and Umi was too scared.

But as for me? What did I feel... Confused? More than anything the desire to know what was making me feel this pain was making me curious. It was a misguided curiosity, one that might bring me more harm than anything.

Still. In not some helpless child. Despite all my issues, I of all people deserved to know what was going on.

"All right. But I want to know everything."

Neither of them really argued. Guess that was that. But at least the scratching didn't come back.

The other guy, Kai, came from the fourth floor to sit with us, and even he didn't say anything.

///////////////

** Normal POV **

A screeching sound was echoing deep through the trees. An ear-splitting sound that shook the trees to their roots and forced the once lively trees to go deafeningly quiet. The awful noise was one of sheer anguish and pain, the source of it probably suffering a great deal.

Somewhere nestled in these trees far behind the asylum was a shack. Old, wooden, rickety. Far away from the relief of civilization. This shack was where the screams echoed out of, causing an echo to bounce off all the trees. It was no bigger than a small room, ten feet to the roof, and another ten feet squared.

Inside was a grisly scene. Blood was on all the surfaces, pooling on the dirty wooden floor. The source of the blood was strapped to a medieval torturing device with his arms and legs strapped to it in iron shackles. The metal cut into delicate pale wrists and made red bloody burns. Cuts, burns, and scrapes were covering his unclothed body, making the once pale skin red and damaged.

Water that was thick with salt dripped from those burns in thick rivulets, pooling with the blood on the floor.

Still. This victim had a fire in his eyes that showed the exact opposite of the terror and pain someone would normally feel. Arrogance. Defiance. All of it was not normal. But from the way that the wounds healed up and didn't have time to settle down he had a reason to be.

"Is that... Really all you got for me, Leader?"

His tortured made a scowling face and tightened the shackles keeping his prisoner from escaping. Gloves protect his fingers from the burning metal and make even more burns of the captive, yanking a scream out of his throat. Satisfied he adjusted the mask on his face.

There was another body on the ground, also covered in burns and lacerations. Totally unconscious.

"I think I have an hour left in me," the captor sighed and adjusts his mask before pulling on a sleek metal glove with four long and sharp metal claws jutting out of them. "My human can wait, and so can yours. Reita has already been punished but I still have a bone to pick with you."

So with his new weapon in hand, the captor once more began his work on his naughty subordinate, yanking more and more screams as the burning metal made long angry and bloodied streaks across his chest. So it would be for the next hour. The screams were only the beginning of this torture.


	19. Delirious / Third Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, this update took so long to get out! but I've been stressed with work and life lately so sorry! this is mostly a dialogue chapter!

**Uruha POV**

Well, Umi wasn't wrong when she said we would know when they got back. But I had no idea what to expect.

Aoi came back as smug as he always was, covered head to toe in blood. On his right hand, he had a strange gauntlet looking item with three large metal claws. Where did he get that from?

Beside him were Reita and Ruki, seemingly uninjured but also covered in blood. Both had sour but defeated expressions on their faces. Brianna gasped in terror at the sight, but more for Ruki's safety than her own. I was just... confused. How did Aoi get that weird thing?

"Aoi," I greeted him. He instantly came near me, smiling like an idiot. The clawed weapon was taken off before it disappeared in a poof of black smoke. Demons. Pff.

"Uruha, I'm back! Did you miss me?"

I frowned, trying to hide the way my body seemed to gravitate towards him positively. Ugh...

"What happened?"

My curiosity would be the death of me I swear.

He just grinned and shook his head.

"Just some discipline. They're used to it. They heal quicker than I can inflict damage but it's not like it matters anyway."

I glanced behind him and saw Brianna carefully looking over Ruki for injuries but finding none. The small demon seemed to be pleased, smiling and assuring her that he was fine. Reita had already wandered off, probably unable to withstand their displays of tense affection.

Even my own feelings from before wouldn't come back. When I see them together I thought I would feel upset but... I didn't feel it at all. Just a calm numbness. From Aoi, my feelings were that I was just happy he was back. I was too far gone now anyway, might as well accept it right?

"I want to talk," I said to him quietly and he perked up.

"About?"

I quickly shake my head.

"Not here," I whispered and motioned my head to the bathroom. "You should get cleaned up first, I don't feel comfortable around blood."

He understood that and smiled again.

"Okay, baby doll. But you sure you don't want to come shower with me?"

His words were hopeful but I knew better. I have a few days before I'm utterly lost so I shake my head.

"You wish," I retorted and he pouts. "Don't give me that look."

"Aww okay. Just a kiss then? I didn't get any blood on my face did I?"

No, he didn't. Just all over his neck and clothes. 

"Fine, but just one," I growled at him. "No more than that until you're clean."

A smile rivaling the sun lights up his face, and he tilts up my face to stare at my lips. There is hesitation, but making sure that Brianna wasn't looking he quickly did as he wanted. A single kiss to myself mouth was enough to satisfy him and make him pull back.

"Thank you, Baby Doll. I needed that after my long day."

I scoffed at him, ignoring the gentle warmth that lingered on my mouth.

"I can imagine. Now come on, before that icky stuff dries and ruins your clothes."

Aoi followed me to the bathroom and I waited for him to go inside before helping him to take off his jacket. 

"I thought you said you didn't want to shower with me," he giggled but did nothing except sit on the edge of the bathtub. The shower head was separate, a drain at his feet intending to suck up the water. 

"I'm not. I'm just making sure you're okay, and to get all the spots you miss."

He blinked before another wide grin threatens to split his lips apart.

"Aww is my baby doll worried about me? You're so cute."

"Aoi. Please. Are you okay or not?"

"Of course I am. I wasn't the one being punished after all."

I knew that. I just... Wanted to know if he was okay in the other way. 

"That's not what I mean..."

An understanding flickered in his eyes and the smile slowly slipped off his mouth. Guess that answers that question. 

"Ah... I see what you mean. Well... I'm still fucking pissed," he hissed and yanked off his shirt, showing the smears of red blood all over his chest. "But I got most of my anger out, they know better by now. I hope. Though it will take me a while before I am fully ready to forgive them for this."

That was understandable. Something like this was not easily forgiven, and from what I knew Aoi was not one to forgive easily. It was obvious that I needed to do something to distract him from that. The anger he was feeling created a pit in my stomach, and I hated how it felt.

"Have we figured out when next to go seal hunting?"

That seemed to work. His mood turned from angry to thoughtful, taking the pit with it. 

"Hmm... We can do one today if you're free?" he asks. "We also have yet to meet the new demon we made from the last one. That can be on our list of things to do. Oh! And we have to find that damn Pastor as well, I figured out a bit of dirt about him that incriminates him and makes his life forfeit."

Oh God. Now we have to kill a Pastor?? 

"Will he become a demon too?" I asked hesitantly. 

"No, he isn't a seal, so his soul will go directly to Hell to be punished for all eternity. His meat suit will be left here to rot into the earth. "

A sadistic smile crawled itself onto his face and I felt the bloodlust from his desire to kill deep in my bones. Did he always feel this when he killed people? If so... I can only imagine how he managed to keep himself in check all this time. My hands shook as I waited for him to keep undressing. 

"Please don't do that," I sighed, swallowing down the urge to break something. 

"Don't do what?" he asked cheekily. By now his pants had come off, and I had to tun around to not see his skin. 

"Make me feel your desire to be a bloodthirsty killer," I answered back roughly. "It makes me uncomfortable."

The sound of the bathtub running drowned out the thudding in my chest, which I was grateful for of course. Aoi's bloodthirsty instincts finally lessened and I breathed a sigh of relief. I will never get used to this twin empathy thing. 

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Sometimes it's hard to control when I... get into one of my moods. I'll try to keep it in check."

"It's okay. I'll wait for you to get in then I'll help you." 

He didn't answer me but I felt him become complacent with our conversation. I wasn't done though. We still have plenty to talk about. 

The water ran for a while before he splashed around getting inside of it.

"All right, I'm done."

He was only halfway submerged in bubbles, his whole upper half from the waist up exposed. Already the water was turning a sickly pink from all the blood. Now that I think about it, this was the first time I was seeing Aoi in all his glory while he wasn't attached to my mouth like a kiss hungry leech. 

It was... Almost surreal? 

"Okay, turn your head to me," I say and sit on the edge. "We still have to talk."

He did as I asked, letting me scoop up his hair in my hands. 

"About?"

"You know what I mean, stupid," I huff and use the shower head to wash out his hair over the side of the tub down the drain. 

"I know, I just wanted to put it off."

Redness began to go down the drain, and the blackness of his raven hair once more begins to shine through. Just how much was on him?

"You know you can't do that forever, I have questions that I need to be answered."

I felt him become more and more relaxed as I helped him wash out the filth. It helped calm me down too. Using my fingers I threaded them through his strands, making sure it was all clean.

"I know. I'm just... I just don't want you to worry, that's all. But I guess tags how you are. I'll just have to get used to it."

It was weird, seeing him so relaxed like this. I guess I was doing a good job because his head dropped to the edge of the tub, his eyes closed in contentment. Something in me felt... weird. Like an urge to... to kiss him.

Damn it not now...

"First things first," I muttered and ignored the pulling in my stomach. "I need to know if I'll be able to leave this place once we're done hunting for seals."

Aoi sighed a soft noise that showed indifference.

"I wouldn't," he warned. "Now that portals have been opened up like crazy here, there are more demons prowling the woods. They're only seventh levels, but to you and the pink lady, they can be dangerous. So for now, it's best if you stay within the grounds of the building. I have guards guarding one mile in the circumference of the whole building. So we can go outside, but not into the trees."

Ugh great. More demons that I have to worry about. But as long as he was with me...

"So... What's going to happen to me?"

He cracked open one eye.

"What do you mean?"

Is he playing dumb again? God I swear...

"I mean when our Mark is completed and all your seals are broken. What will happen to me? Will you take me somewhere? Will I never go back to my old life again? Just tell me. It's killing me that I don't even know."

There was his indifferent mood again. If I believed in a God I would have asked him or her to smack Aoi in the face.

"So you really wanna know?" He grumbled and sits up, effectively making it so I can't touch him anymore. "Trust me. It's better if we take baby steps here. Or else you will get overwhelmed with everything too quickly and you'll become even more stressed out."

He really is worried. He's staring at me with raised eyebrows, his hair dripping down his chest. It would have been... Sexier if I wasn't so upset right now.

"Can't you at least tell me what I can expect? Will I become a demon too?"

Then there was a small spark of hesitation and it made him bite his lip. Why was he so hesitant to tell me?

"Kouyou," he finally sighed and pulls the stopper in the. sink "If I tell you... promise me that you will understand why I did what I did. And why you're in this situation at all. Please, promise me."

He was desperate now, his eyes staring at me in a way that he looked ready to just give up on telling me. But I have to know. If my life was in his hands then I didn't want to be a slave.

"I promise. Please, just tell me. I can't take it anymore Aoi. I can't."

Then he looked at me with the saddest eyes I have ever seen in my life... my chest tightened up so felt my breath come in a painful ragged pattern. Why is he... so sad?

"Kouyou... look. I'm only telling this because I adore you, and you're my most precious person in the world. I wanted to make sure that... you would be okay. Can we at least talk about it back in the room? I don't feel comfortable doing it in here."

His eyes dropped to the now red water that swirled down the drain slowly. Was this seriously that bad? Whatever it was... It only made me feel worse.

"You want to... okay. I guess... then I'll wait for you in the room."

He didn't try to stop me as I washed my hands and then left him alone.

This is getting out of hand. I'm starting to worry about him more and more, something that only served to irk me the more that I thought about it. Feeling so many feelings is so... annoying. I can only imagine how Brianna is feeling since her Mark is farther than mine. Maybe if I ask Ruki he will know.

That will have to come later though. I have some words to exchange with my  _dear demon_.

I waited in the room by myself for only about five minutes before he comes back, clean and in nice clothes. He's still distressed as ever, but the warm water seemed to have alleviated his earlier stress. He was less irritable and was willing to give me space when he finally sat near me, a towel around his neck.

"So. What exactly is all this about? You want to know what will happen to you, right?"

I nodded, sighing with my head on my palm. This conversation was something I needed so I could finally feel relaxed. Was I going to die? If so then why won't he tell me? To protect me?

"Yes. I just... I want to know what my life is worth. If my life is not forfeit when all of this is over. What am I worth to you, Aoi?"

His mood changed again. From slightly hesitant to even more so, and he stared at me with worried but distant eyes. What was he thinking right now?

"Kouyou. You have to understand this," he sighed and stared at the floor, not meeting my eyes. "I... I marked you because I knew you were different than any human I've ever met before. You're not scared of letting people know what you think, and you have such a free spirit. That's incredibly attractive to me."

Aoi smiled at me and scoots closer to me to put his hand on mine. I couldn't move my hand away.

"For a demon to mark a human is a special thing for us. I may have changed your life forever, but you changed mine too. I... I can't believe I'm saying this but... I got scared of being lonely. You're my favorite. And I don't think you have to worry about it. I could never hurt you on purpose let alone kill you for no reason."

So... I am special to him. My chest felt like it was going to collapse.

But... I still didn't understand one thing. What did this mean for my body?

"You're immortal," I lamented. "Even if this does work out... I'm human. I'll get older. I'll age eventually. And you. You'll... stay young and beautiful forever while I turn older and older. Soon you won't want me anymore."

Why... is that bothering me so much. What happened to my fighting spirit?

"You think I'm beautiful?" He peeped.

"That's beside the point Aoi."

A laugh bubbles in his chest, making a heat raise up his cheeks. The sight only served to make me blush too.

Then he grabs my hand, and the few water droplets on his face make my heart ache even more. Why is he so gods damned attractive...

"Kou... you won't die. The whole point of a marking is for a Demon to have a life partner. Do you get it? Someone who will stay with us through everything and their bodies become more and more accustomed to being with us. You might become a demon like me, or you'll become something else. But when the time comes and our Mark is complete, you will not be left alone. I need you beside me, and I'll be with you until the very end."

Everything hurt. I felt like I couldn't breathe, my chest was too heavy. So I wasn't going to die. Everything he told me was swimming through my mind, making his face seem blurry.

I'm special.

I won't have to be alone.

Aoi wants me.

He  _needs_  me.

"Do you promise?"

The words left my lips before I could stop myself, but even so, I didn't really care to. A huge weight lifted from my chest then, and I sighed when his hand raised to my cheek, and his smile was soft and dainty. Again, that delicate expression made him look years younger. Human.

"Cross my heart," comes the gentle whisper, and when his face neared mine my body instinctively reacted to it, and I scooted closer so he could do as he wished.

His kisses were gentle and airy, but I felt the weight of a million pounds through his lips. Tiny droplets rolled down his eyelashes and plopped into my cheeks, almost looking like tears.

Was this how being swept off my feet felt? If so... it makes me nervous. It makes me feel like I want this more than I could have ever imagined I did.

When he pulled back from kissing me I felt my lips tingling from the feeling and it scared me that I wanted it all over again. My face was hot and the way he smiled at me only served to make it worse. His fingers held me close and his sweet minty breath calmed the raging fiery mess in my stomach that was depriving my lungs air.

"I hope I answered what I could," he then mumbled, his eyes drooping. "It's not everything I can give, but I can only give so much.  **Placere exspecta me**."

Latin again? What was with demons and such a dead language? Well, it made him seem less useless I suppose.

I laughed and shook my head, feeling his fingers run through my hair in a comforting manner.

"I won't wait forever, Aoi. We have things to do."

Then he laughs again, a soft sound that flutters my heart. He's happy now. And it makes me happy too. He kissed me again, this time longer and with more feeling before resting them on my cheek.

"Call me Yuu."


	20. Afterthought- Third day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being late! Lately, I've been having issues as you are probably aware. So I've been trying my best to get through it!
> 
> Anywho, here is the next bit! Ruki's backstory! Well parts of it hehehehe
> 
> (ALSO CAN WE TALK ABOUT GAZETTE'S NEW SELFIES?? HONESTLY. Uruha GOT ME FUCKED UP)

Brianna POV

They disappeared again. It was only a little while after Aoi and Ruki came back, but Uruha and that damned raven were already gone. Something about more seals to be found of course, and they had to find the demon they made from last time too.

I don't blame them. Ruki came back and he was anxious to go back out there to find more, but I could tell he was hesitant. After disappearing for i don't know how many hours he wanted to stay here and not leave me alone  I could tell because I could feel how he was feeling. It was only amplified every time he took my hand or looked at me. What exactly is he thinking though? I have yet to figure out why he does the things he does.

Why Reita avoids him like the plague, how they had such bad blood between them. Did they have a fight sometime in the past? Or was it something else that he wasn't ready to tell me? Not until he trusts me fully enough to spill anything.

I must have been obviously distracted because the feeling of his hand on my shoulder startled me. My hair was still wet, and I sat in the warmth of the main area near the fireplace to wait for Umi to come with the tea she promised me.

"Hey. You're daydreaming again," he says to me, a fond glimmer in his darkened but soft eyes. "What's going on?"

He was curious, more so than his usual self. But I guess it was only natural since our bond pulled us closer together than what was normal for us. I'm still hesitant to be alone with him, but I'm getting over it.

"I'm okay. I'm just thinking," I respond. Ruki nodded before taking a spot near me, pursing his lips together. Something about him feels... different. Stronger almost, as though he managed to get past something that was bothering him. It could be all the seals he has been breaking, as far as I know, he managed to break three already. His skin was not as pale, his eyes were brighter, and he had more of an attitude towards Reita.

"About?"

"Just... things about my life and what I'm gonna do now," I answered as truthfully as I could. "It's not really that important. My mind is a boring place."

My answer didn't seem to satisfy his curiosity because he just twisted his thumbs together before sighing.

"Is it all right if we talk?" He mused quietly, more to himself than me it seemed. But it was still directed at me nonetheless.

"About what exactly?" 

His face grew nervous, and the slight wavering in his next sentence served to make my skin feel a little... on edge. As though I was making him wary. But he was the demon here, not me. I wasn't a bloodthirsty killing machine. Just a helpless girl with more than a few screws loose. 

"I just... I want to know if you're okay. If this is all too much for you... Then you can talk to me, let me know what it is I need to do better."

Is he serious? If I was okay with all of this? I know I have no place in society anymore, but even then being kidnapped is not something someone like me would want willingly. Right? Right. 

"What do you think?" I answered back as sardonically as possible. "These circumstances aren't exactly the most suited for someone in my state of mind. I hope you realize that, and you realize that despite all the gifts and lavish attention, it still is technically kidnapping."

His face fell, and I could see that he was getting frustrated. But it wasn't at me, he was getting frustrated at himself. Was he finally getting it through his head the situation we were in? Despite him getting stronger, I found myself getting more and more fearless of him. More so that fear was turning into both frustration and my own knowledge that he would not hurt me. Any pain he caused me would only be worse for him. 

"I know, and... Part of the reason for this conversation is because I know what I did to you was awful," he sighed softly, his head hanging on his shoulders almost limply. "I just want you to know, I didn't do it because I hate you or want you to suffer. Rather... I... I couldn't help myself. I haven't told you about my situation yet have I?"

"What do you mean?"

Again he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 

"About... Who I am. Really, and why you could feel the tension between me and Reita. Don't say you couldn't, I could feel it as plain as day. Every time we are in the same room as each other, the air seems to crackle, and you can cut the tension with a knife."

He wasn't wrong, just as they came back, the other had already left with a huff and steely scowl. But Ruki was right, I was far too curious for my own good.  

"I don't want to know unless you're willing to tell me," I said back, a sigh of my own leaving my mouth. He smiled a rueful smile and pinned me with a playful glint in his eyes. Is he planning something? 

"Hmm, I suppose I could be persuaded to talk if I get your own reasons for being here in return."

What? He isn't serious? I am sure my face mirrored my disbelief and he laughs softly, though the amusement was muted by his cynical nature. 

"So... You want to know about me?" I asked, and he nods. 

"Just what you want to tell me. I don't want you to tell me what you don't want to, and vice versa. Otherwise, this isn't going to work." 

"This being?" 

Another rueful smile. Then he grabs my hand and squeezed my fingers. A shock of understanding went through my arm, then it made his expression soften a little bit. My chest felt like it was empty. 

"Our Mark, of course."

Oh... That's what this was about. He wants to further our... Our Mark. So our feelings could be mutual. I still wasn't sure what he felt exactly, but whatever it was, he wants to make it stronger. 

"I see. Well, you'll have to work for that. And to do that, you have to ensure that I won't have any more problems. Especially not with those other demons prowling about. You can do that, right?"

His hand tightens, and I can tell he is having an internal struggle with himself. 

"Of course I can," he answered almost in a pouting manner. "So does that mean you're willing to listen to me? I'm sure you'll understand what we have a lot more than now."

I mean... I guess it can't hurt right? If he knows about me I can safely live here under his protection, even if it means I have to become like what he is. 

I sat there, silent for a few seconds before Umi finally walked inside with the tea I sent her after. Having her here after being gone for so long made me feel better about being open with Ruki. She smiled, handed me a cup, and then sat on my other side. 

"All right. Then you have a lot to explain to me, Ruki. But not before tea."

And he just smiled at me, a glimmer in his eyes he never usually showed. At least, not to me.

"Of course. If you're ready then I will tell you everything I can. Starting with myself, then how I became who I am. Reita will come sometime later."

*******************************

**Two Hundred Years Ago**   
  


Rain pattered the streets of early morning Paris, a soft drizzle that blanketed the cobbled streets in a delicate grey curtain that added to the already humid summer air. People walked to and fro with silky umbrellas and elegant clothes, a clear indication of their high status in such a dog eat dog society. Women in billowing beautiful dresses, men in uptight and impeccable tuxedos. Children in their well pressed school clothes chased after their parents or small fluffy dogs on leashes, ignoring the plaintive wails of their mothers to not get their clothes wet. 

Life was peachy for these people, and they lived life with no worries whatsoever. 

However, deep in the underbelly of such an illustrious society was a darker and uglier truth. In order for those people to be comfortable, they had to exploit the poorer and less well off people for their wealth. Servants, slaves, less important faces in the sea of big name faces. But at least they had something to do. The people who had to live on the filthy streets with no hope of a better life was what no one spoke of at all, the hopelessly lost souls with no home to go to or anything in life to look forward to. That was how this city worked, unfortunately. 

And that was where Takanori came in, poor helpless little Takanori. 

Another boy illusioned to the promise of finding a better life in a far away place from home. From the gently rolling hills and clean forests of his beautiful homeland Japan to the dirty and bustling streets of Paris. But his parents said he would be happy, he didn't argue when they brought him here when he was only ten. 

But after five years of living day to day wondering where their next meal would come from and living off the meager coins his parents earned from their small jobs cleaning in some Lord's kitchen not far from here he began to grow disillusioned. His once innocent outlook on life began to grow cynical and at only fifteen he was already knowledgeable of things no kid his age should know. 

How to run from danger, how to point out the best places to escape, where to get cheap food and how to climb buildings to look for bad things that were going to happen. He had no choice, the life of a street rat was not something he wanted for his parents anymore, and the small shack their already small family was becoming less and less useful. The wooden planks grew further and further apart, therefore letting in cold air in winter and disgusting biting bugs in summer. 

So he knew he had to do something about this. His parents deserved more for all the hard work they did. 

Word of a family needing a new house keeper for their third floor mansion he jumped at that chance with little to no hesitation. And with a fluent understanding of the French language communication would be no big deal. 

It was a fairly large house somewhere near the Eiffel tower, surrounded by high hedges and rose bushes, as was typical of most rich houses. It was huge and white, looking as impeccable as ever. So when he met the owners of said house, he wasn't expecting it to be only a young mother and her single daughter and a grandmother. With an abundance of money, she wanted to hire a young able-bodied man to do the hard work around the house, leaving small things to her maids. He was only fifteen, and his frame was smaller than most. But he had corded muscle all over his arms and back from running and climbing buildings. 

Thanks to that he was put to work almost right away, and the days began to blur together as he lived on the grounds of the mansion, saving bit after bit of what he earned from working there. Without burdening his parents his life became more relaxed, no longer wondering if he would be able to eat or not. 

For five years he worked there, growing up alongside the young woman who would eventually take over the house. He recieved the same education, was given a lovely salary, and was promoted from being a simple yard worker to being an actual butler for the young woman. And the increase in his public image didn't hurt either. People were curious about him, the mysterious man from a far away country who managed to find a place in this world. The woman was proud of her mysterious butler, and showed him off whenever she could.

She was beautiful, and he had no doubt that all kinds of young men had their eyes on her. However, he knew how she was. She was spoiled and arrogant to those she believed beneath her, but towards him, she was sweet and fluttered her eyelashes at him anytime she could. He had no business looking at her like someone he could hopefully capture, and he didn't anyway. Rather, he was far too busy with trying to live his life that images of her were not in the rainbow hued filter one might expect.

But he suspected that her mother thought he was moonlighting with her since he was the only guy around who was her age. He could not care less, but she was adamant on proving it. It was very annoying.

Takanori was soon ready to celebrate his twenty first birthday and was planning to leave this place soon since he had built up enough money to finally go to college, at least at the local one nearby. Nothing too fancy like the rich kids could do. Then finally, he could provide for his aging parents. These last few years he was able to get them a small apartment and sent them a steady amount every month so they could keep it. 

Yet to him, they still deserved better, and that was what he wanted. Hopefully a job as an accountant or possibly a translator was in his future. 

But... Of course, those days would eventually prove to be limited.

His birthday was only minutes away, and after a frustratingly long day of working tirelessly through the day, he was ready to just go home and write his resignation for the lady of the house so he could be with his family. There was no more he could do for this place, and the young Lady could do with someone more... Well, more willing to work for her. He had no qualms about it but didn't want to fight for his job. 

So in the middle of writing it at his desk in his own room, he heard a knock at the door. The small clock on his desk read thirty minutes to midnight. What now? 

"Come in."

He sighed softly and put away his quill, pushing off his glasses. 

"Hey. How are you doing?" 

It was her, of course. The Young woman whose name always slipped his thoughts when it wasn't important. Now being one of those times. 

"I'm all right. Just writing some things. Is there something you want, My Lady?"

She was dressed in one of her more fancy dresses, her usual pink makeup done nicely.

"I want to show you something," she peeped in that high pitched voice of hers. "It's your birthday tomorrow. I know you want to go home, so this is what we can do for now. Are you willing to come see?"

Well, it sounded like an order. Takanori could do little to refuse that, so he sighed and agreed to follow with little resistance. After getting on a simple dress shirt and slacks he followed her to the topmost floor, expecting there to be lights on and other people milling around even at this time. 

But... Everything was oddly quiet. Why was everything dark? All he could do was follow after her, her grip on his sleeve keeping him on the track that she wanted him to go. 

"Where are we going?" he asks her, utterly bored. All she does is giggle and hold a finger to her lips. 

"It's a surprise!"

The dark lilt in her voice should have been the first warning. But his tired mind didn't pick up on it fast enough. 

Mistake. As soon as they reached an unknown door somewhere up on the attic level he was separated from her in an unknown hallway full of curtains and drapes hanging in confusing places instead of up against walls or windows. They brushed past his face as he tried following her, but he began to notice it getting darker the further down the hall he went. Then before he knew it she was gone, leaving him alone. 

To call for her would be his next and last mistake. Soon, figured began to pour out of the doors on all his sides, dressed in black. Panic made his earlier bored expression melt into one of panic, and he turned to flee only to be met with a tall and intimidating figure blocking his way. A dark hood and all white face mask were all he was met with, and fear forced his limbs to freeze in place. 

Words were being whispered all around him, in a language he didn't know. But their intonations were less than friendly. He found himself surrounded by the fabric and the people in hoods, forcing him to back away from the tall figure. 

But hands and fingers clamped down hard onto his arms, forcing a rag with sweet smelling liquid over his nose. 

This was her fault, he realizes too late. She led him here to die. And he was stupid enough to fall for it.

Eyes peered at him and continued the ominous chanting in his ear. Soon his limbs gave way to what was clearly a drug, and his brain shut down slowly. The last thing he remembered was being dragged into a dark room and put on a cold wooden table, and a sharp silver knife was being held high over his head. Then everything went dark. The pain of dying didn't even register to him, his brain too dark under the cold embrace of the drug forced into his system. At least they allowed him that much.

Sometime in his eternal slumber, he remembered hearing a voice. A soft, sweet voice that whispered promises of revenge into his ear. Of being able to punish those people who have wronged him. Especially that wretched woman. She was the cause of all this.

What would he do..? He can't go home anymore, he had no life to live. His parents would wonder why he never came home, forever lost in the throes of time. 

**But what if you're wrong?**

'Huh? What do you mean? Aren't I dead..?' 

**Yes. But I can help you. Help you find revenge.**

'Who are you? What will you give me if I let you help me?'

The voice gives a laugh, comforting and light, before murmuring a promise so lulling he found himself instantly enamored. 

**The beginning of the End.**

It was... tempting. And he had no idea how he would be able to rest peacefully knowing his parents were never going to see him again. What other choice did he have? 

'Okay... Please, help me.'

The answering laugh is not nrealy as sweet and delightful, not tinged with an eager malice that made him shiver. But it was too late.

**Excellent. I will make them pay.**

Then he remembered snapping awake, and his body forced air into his lungs after such a long period of death. And his body felt warm again, but that did nothing to quell the sudden bloodthirst in his veins. Only a few thoughts were racing through his brain, and he sits up on the bloody table, feeling an itch in his chest. 

**Die. Kill. Die. Kill. Die.**

A knife was stabbed deep into his heart. But he felt no pain, just anger.

**_Die. Kill. Die. Kill. Die._ **

Yanking it out made blood splatter out of the wound, coating his once white shirt in crimson. But soon, he feels his skin easily seal back up, stopping the blood flow. Fascination coursed through him and he brought the knife deep inside of his stomach with a sickening piercing of flesh. No pain. Just more blood and that similar itching feeling. 

**Diediediediediedie**

Soon he found himself outside a bedroom, all quiet and still. But that changed to an enraged and murderous thirst for something warm on his fingers.

Takanori yanked it open, his new strength effortlessly ripping the once sturdy door from its hinges. The sight before him only served to enrage him more. 

How could she be sleeping after knowing he was murdered? All because of her? 

**DIEDIEDIEDIE**

He was merciless, slicing apart the blanket and ignoring the petrified and blood curdling screams as red settled across his eyes. Then came the first splash of wet across his face as he carelessly sliced away. 

Then the screams finally stop, and all he knows is that she's finally gone. 

At the end of the night, he finds himself outside of the mansion, completely covered in blood. Heat seared at his clothes as flames raged on inside the once illustrious mansion. The sheer size of the mansion fed the flames to a high pillar of smoke that reached a hundred feet in the air. The once night sky was alight with orange and yellow, forever swallowing the inhabitants whole. 

And before anyone could ever find Takanori guilty, he was already long gone. 

But not before stopping by a familiar apartment and stopping at the door. Swallowing hard he looked down at the suitcase in his hands, filled with countless amounts of stolen gold blocks worth more than a fortune. And on it was a single piece of paper. Breaking inside was easy, but all he does is set it on the small table they had and then left quickly. 

_I'm sorry. This is all I can give to you now. Please, live a beautiful and long life and forget about who I used to be. Forgive me._

The forest nearby was his only solace, and he only stopped when the sun began to rise over the horizon. A deep rift opened in the earth beneath his feet as he dripped fresh blood from his wrist onto a circle of salt, showing a bright and burning inferno of red.  And as he disappeared from the Earth into the pits of Damnation, tears spilled down his bloody cheek. And he screamed until his lungs burned and the fires cleaned him of all his wrongdoings in that world. 

The burn would lessen, and the flames would feel like soft caresses upon his skin. And as he found himself in a new world, filled with others of his kind and evil souls, he knew he was no longer who he used to be. And staring into the face of a familiar young woman, beaten and bloodied as she hung from chains in a dark dirty cell made of hard unforgiving stone, he held a spiked leather whip in his hands as he chanted one mantra to himself over and over. Each time was followed by the sound of a crack against bare skin and ear splitting screams.

"Takanori Matsumoto is Dead."


	21. Tell me Something - Third Day/Third Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, lately, I've been having issues with my life, but I promise I will try and get these out faster! 
> 
> So I hope you're ready for the second Arc to start, this is where we get into the Meat and potatoes! And what better way to start off this arc than with more backstories?? :DD and some more explanations of how demons work of course! So this chapter is longer than normal

**Uruha POV**

Why did he do that... Why did he give me his name? Was it for some intense reason that he tricked me into? I hope not... Otherwise I'll have to find a good reason to hit him in the face.

It had been a long day so far. Aoi.. Or, I mean, Yuu, and I met the other demon that came to our world when he broke that seal, and to say that I was nervous is an understatement. He was still on the Second floor, where we found him wandering around wondering where he was. He saw us and immediately gravitated towards us. 

He was kind of on the short side, but had corded muscle all over his arms and was covered in many tattoos like Aoi, except his were human made and not demonic. His demonic Mark, however, was on the back of his neck, disguised as an eye tattoo. The brunette hair framing his face was short enough to show it off.

Yet it was strange to see how he acted. Despite being a demon, he reminded me a lot of Kai. A cheerful disposition under a frightening face. But maybe that was just his human personality bleeding through the demon one. 

His name was Tsuzuku, and he was young, having come here for some kind of disability in his brain. But now that he was a demon that must have died away. If only it worked that way for humans. 

Despite that though, he still seemed unusually cheerful for his position and new body. And when he learned we were the ones who brought him here, he was thanking Aoi like crazy and smiling all the while. His voice is raspy, as though unused for a long time. 

Aoi decides to leave and takes him to the fourth floor and doesn't stick around long enough to know if he got along with Shinya or not. What was he in a rush for? To find more seals?

"Are you sure we should just leave them there?" I asked him as he dragged me back downstairs. "What if they get in a fight?"

With a roll of his shoulders, he seems less than convinced that anything will happen. 

"He's a seventh level, Kou. Seventh levels get along because they're the weakest. Numbers give them strength. Of course they will be fine, don't worry. We have more matters to deal with right now."

"Those being..?" 

The entire first floor was as deserted as ever, and that seemed to work in his favor. 

"I want to take a walk," he answered. "I still want to tell you some things."

"Some things? Does any of it involve me?"

His smile is coy, and I can tell he's deciding on whether or not to tell me. 

"Come on, we can go outside today. I feel like walking towards the pond in front of the building."

Oh dear, he was in another one of his wistful thinking moods. And when that happens... Well, I can expect he'll want to chatter my ear off. But I guess it's better than trying to suck my face off like he did at first. Which was still annoying, but... I know why he was doing it now. He can't help it, and if this keeps on, I won't be able to either.

Lately, I've been feeling... a weird shift in my body patterns lately. Like every time he was here with me, be it beside me or even in a nearby proximity, all o wanted was to... not stray far. Like he was a magnet and I was a hunk of squishy fleshy metal. Kind of a disgusting metaphor but it was all I could think of.

But oh well. IF this was a result of our Mark, there was little I could do about it. Just like I couldn't do anything about Brianna and her own Mark with Ruki. If this was going to happen... It would only hurt us both if we fought against it. Even if she was taking suppressants to keep her feelings pushed down it would only be a matter of time before something happened. Which was why, unlike her, I was more inclined to sacrifice myself for my health.

A sudden tug on my arm brought me back to reality. I guess I was just letting myself get dragged along because we were suddenly outside again, the hazy fog of an early fall evening as cold and biting as ever. Aoi was staring at me, but not in his usual raunchy way that held hidden... motives. Rather, his eyes were rather transparent, and he seemed to be searching my face for something.

"What?" I asked indignantly. "Do I have something on my face?"

I knew that wasn't it but I wanted to avoid it as long as possible, even if only for a few seconds. As I expected, he just laughs and shakes his head, walking out onto the main courtyard in front of the asylum, a smirk on his lips.

"No," he answered and made his way to the few stone benches that sat around the neglected fountain in the middle of the courtyard. "I was just... thinking. About some important things is all. I... I want to talk. You know it was coming sooner rather than later."

I huffed and take a spot on the farthest spot away from him on the same bench, unable to resist the slight pull I felt towards him. It's so... hypocritical of me, but I just want to scoot closer. My pride is the only thing keeping me from doing just that.

"I knew that... And I didn't need you to tell me that. I just... I'm nervous."

He tilts his head, his eyes glinting under the moonlight.

"Nervous? About what?"

I sighed again, my chest feeling heavy. Maybe it was better to tell him about how I felt. Maybe I will feel better.

"I don't know what to do. This whole Mark thing, my old life, my family... everything is different. I know that I can't fit in with people anymore, I'm too different. My... Faith, or lack thereof, was the only thing keeping me from being an outcast. But now, even that is gone now. I wasn't even that well known of a doctor, so it's not like I can fall back on that."

There is a small silence, and I can tell he's thinking. Or rather, I can feel it. My words were making him think at least.

"Hm, I see. Well... I guess I should say a few things first. Here." He held out his hand for me, and I rolled my eyes but couldn't stop myself from taking it anyway. It was cold, but my warm skin heats it up almost right away. "I want you to know that even though I must have hurt you, and you resent me for this, I'm sorry. But I'm not sorry for being drawn to you, for wanting you bad enough to do this in the first place. You can't blame me you know since you're probably the most beautiful creature I've ever seen walk this earth."

Oh my God, he is not at all shy about hiding his affection for me. But the heat that rose in my cheeks must have been obvious because he seemed pleased as that smirk turned into a small smile. Something in my chest stirred and I swallowed down a painful lump in my throat.

"And so," he continued, cutting off my words. "To make up for what I've done I want to give you something in return. Something that, when given, can't be given back. It's the source of my power that I can only give to one person. And I want that person to be you."

His... power? What is he talking about?

"Um... are you sure? I've only known you for less than a week. How can you give me your power so easily?"

His smile deepened before suddenly he scooted closer to me, his thigh touching mine. Then he had the audacity to grab my hand before pressing it to his cheek.

"I trust you. I trust your judgment and I know that you wouldn't do anything to hurt me. Our Mark will only deepen from here on, so I may as well. No time like the present."

His aura was buzzing with excitement, and I can tell that he was itching to tell me. Why was he so excited to literally be ready to hand his life over to me?

"Have the other people you Marked gotten this... thing from you?" I wondered, squinting my eyes.

"No. Like I said, our Marks have never been deepened that far. They all tried their grandest to leave me, and now looking back on it I am very glad they did. Then, I would have never met you."

Before I could stop him he leaned toward to me, and I could briefly feel my heart jumping into my throat as his eyes clashed with mine. And the sweet chill of his breath hit against my lips before the cold saying feel of his kiss shocked me into silence.

He tilts his head just a little bit, but the movement literally sent a jolt through my face and to my whole body. It was soft and short, but my pulse seemed to make me go deaf. And all he did so far was give me one of his more innocent kisses.

He didn't move beyond that and let me go after a while, his aura having turned completely pink if pink had a feeling. It was like warmth and a sense of trust, and I don't know how I was able to pick up on it but it was all my brain wanted to feel, at least physically. Mentally, however, I wanted to punch him in the face like all the other times he randomly kissed me.

"What... was that for?" I mumbled and angled away from his touch, the pinkness no doubt tainting my cheeks.

"Well you were so cute I couldn't help myself. So, do you want it? What I have to give? I mean, I have already given you part of it, so now I want you to have the next part."

Wait, he already gave part of it? 

"What was the first part?" 

Oh God my voice squeaked. Why am I flustered? 

"My name. I gave it to you earlier, remember?"

Oh... But he gave it to me so easily... 

"That... was part of it?" He nods. "But... Why?" 

He smiled, and I saw a small spark of light in his eyes, his aura turning just a little warmer. 

"Because I told you already. I trust you. But if you're still nervous about this, I can start with something I am sure you're curious about."

"What?"

His hands tightened on mine. Something about the way he was holding onto me was... almost tender? In a way? It felt so different than his usual possessive streak. Can someone really change this much after three days? 

"Who I am," he mumbled softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Who I really am, who I was before becoming the person I am now. When I was human."

His words stabbed a strange sensation in the pit of my stomach, and pressure began to form on my shoulders as I realized what he was saying. 

He was going to tell me... His human life and how he became a demon. 

"Aoi, I-"

"Yuu," he answered quickly, smiling wider. "When we're alone I want you to say my name. My real name. Okay?"

The pressure only increases and I felt my hard give a painful throb. 

"Um... Yuu. I don't know if you should... Give me this much information. What if... What if someone else finds out? You could... get hurt?"

He only snorted, and his hold on me just tightens more. 

"Hearing you say that makes me happy. I appreciate your concern baby doll," he laughed, bumping our shoulders together. "But you don't have to worry. I'm a third level, it's going to take a little more than a few overheard words to take me down. So don't worry, I want to do this."

He's persistent... I'll give him that. And if anything, when he wants something he's nothing if not stubborn. So that might be what I need...

"Its not like I'm really worried... I just don't want to deal with drama. But... if it means that much to you and you trust me with it, then I guess... you can... But afterwards you have to explain this whole power thing to me. How knowing your name will affect me and you."

Though somehow deep down he knew that I actually was worried, but again, my pride was keeping me from outwardly saying it. But that was good enough.

His face lightened up and he just exuded confidence. My answer must have boosted his self esteem.

"Of course I will. You deserve that much at least. Well, I guess I'll start slow. My name is Yuu, and I lived in Mie. I was only twenty six years old when I became a demon. And it was all thanks to my own family. You see, I am older than Ruki and Reita by hundreds of years. Where they were born on the eighteen hundreds, I was born in the fifteen hundreds. It's been years since I was human, hence my inability to remember much. But demons never forget the events that turn them.

"Anyway, I was a member of a poor family. We were in an isolated area and my parents had become poorer and poorer as we got older. Soon, they... Well, I don't blame them for thinking it, but they sold us, their own children, to a brothel. I was only fifteen, and he was sixteen. We were young teenagers and therefore worth even more. I remember being scared and wanting to go home, but the brother mistress kept telling us that no one wanted us and that we were just her playthings to make money.

"Life was miserable, and we were being conditioned to take customers when we came of adult age. Taught to please both men and women in entertainment and sexual activity. It was awful, as a kid my age should never learn those things.

"We spent a whole three years there, suffering at the hands of our older 'brothers' and 'sisters'. They would hit us and look down on us, torturing us just because we were young and untouched. Pure. Soon enough, the year of my brothers' age ceremony would come and he was going to start taking customers. He was scared to death despite what the mistress told us. So he began to look for a way out before his eighteenth birthday."

He suddenly paused, his smile slipping off and being replaced with a scowl. His hands tightened and I almost yelped in pain.

"Yuu? Are you.. ok?"

There was a soft sigh and he nodded.

"Yeah I just... remembering it makes me wistful. I'll continue."

He apologetically rubs my fingers where he squeezed and let me go only to scoot closer and throw an arm around my shoulders.

"So, he began to sneak out at night to look for escapes out of the town that hated us so, and it seemed like a good thing because he managed to plan out a route and an exact time for us to leave. It was a good two weeks before his birthday when everything... went awfully wrong.

"Someone must have convinced him of a certain route deep into the wooded area behind the brothel itself, and it was supposedly going to stretch into somewhere hidden where we could run. The week before his birthday we left. And it was a really bad bad idea.

"The people who told him this was okay were waiting for us, and promised us that they would take us to safety. But instead they in my took us deeper into the forest where.... Well. I think it's obvious. You've seen how demons like me are created."

That was true. The whole thing was finally making sense to me now. He was tricked and made into a sacrifice.

"I... I understand. You were... made into a demon by people you thought you could trust."

His answering sigh was all the confirmation I need, and I felt my heart give a painful squeeze. I could feel the anger and self pity boiling deep inside of him, and the way it made me long for those people to be dead made my skin crawl. But the sadness was also there, making a huge weight settle in my stomach and it felt like I could not breathe.

"But you know, I got my revenge. Once I accepted the demon inside of me, I was at peace and could control my powers. And gave them all a quick and merciless death," he chuckled darkly. "And my brother got to rest peacefully. Better him than me to become this way, so when he was killed I sent his spirit away. And then when they sacrificed me I accepted the demonic possession with no qualms. They wished to control me, but I was too strong. Since I was no longer a person with no sin, I was a powerful being unable to be stopped.

"You see, the level of demon that someone is possessed by depends on their mental health, their resilience, and how much they were tortured. Since ours was severe but not too severe, I became a seventh level. He would have too, but I made sure he would just go to his final resting place instead. And... that's how I became who I am. And in turn how I met you."

As he finished, a thin layer of heat had began to collect over his hand, likely from my own. But it was far warmer than he usually was which was... a nice change.

The weight finally seemed to lift from my stomach when he let out a deep breath, one I didn't notice he had taken. The hand around me went to my neck where he lightly played with my hair, a habit that I have to make sure he doesn't keep doing.

But if he was happy, it means he moved on from all that. He found his resolve and accepted this fate. Just like what I knew I had to do.

Which was why I decided to swallow down what remained of my pride and give him a few words of my own. And I wanted to know something else.

"Yuu... I... I'm sorry," I mumbled. "For all that happened to you, and to your brother. That shouldn't happen to anyone. But how did you get older? If demons possess you I thought you stayed in the same body forever. But you don't look like you're seventeen."

A laugh unexpectedly bursts from his chest and he leaned in to nuzzle my cheek with his. Still cold but it soothed the heat raging in my body.

"That's because I'm not. Us demons can both speed up and slow down our aging processes. True, I was seventeen, but I let myself age from there on until I reached the age of twenty... uh, twenty six I think. From then I stopped and I've been that age ever since. I slipped away from society and lived under the earth for a while. It's a whole society filled with my kind in a place what a human would call hell. Then I met Ruki and Reita three hundred years later, and we were all put into the same scouting division."

So then why are they here?

"So how did you get here of all places?"

I wanted to know more, but the way he seemed to get tired at the thought was indication that it would take a while to explain.

"Now that is a story for another time," he laughed and rubbed his face. "But for now, I still have to give you the last piece of my power. You agreed if I told you my story."

Oh right... I had almost forgotten. That same pressure came back but this time in my stomach. I'm not sure if I'm ready for this but he seemed more than ready. And since I can't change his mind I have no other option.

"Umm... okay... if you're really sure then, I guess you can."

The hand he had playing with my hair slowly combs through it then stops at the back of my neck, and I could feel his breath on my cheek as he leaned into me, almost kissing me. His eyes were dark but literally seemed to sparkle. He grabbed my hand with his other side and our foreheads pressed together.

Something about this seems oddly sensual...

"Then, Kouyou Takashima," he murmured softly, each word a puff of air against my lips. "I only have one more thing left to give you. And it's something that I want you to take care of with your heart."

Then he leaned closer but not to kiss me as I thought. Instead he pressed his lips against my ear, where he uttered only two things.

"Shiroyama Yuu."

But as he said it a new pulsing sensation bloomed in my chest, and as he finally kissed me fully, I felt the sensation spread to my Mark, where it collected in a single ball of heat. His lips were actually hot. The cold sensation from before seemed to completely dissipate.

Then it was gone. And he was pulling away from me to stand up and continue walking. But I couldn't even move. Everything felt like time slowed, and I could only rub helplessly at my Mark.

"Kouyou? Are you coming? I want to keep walking!"

His voice jolted me out of my daze and I stuttered, almost tripping as I chased after him.

"Y-yeah I'm coming."

His hand found mine and he seemed content, just humming a wordless tune under his breath as he led me around the fountain to the grounds, and to the giant pond that I never really took the time to notice.

We walked for what felt like hours, just... not saying anything. He took me around the asylum, through the safe part of the forest, and around the house that I used to think of as safe. When we did talk, it was about small things here and there. But he seemed more than content to keep it that way.

By the time we were heading back inside the sun was below the horizon, and the moon was beginning it's slow ascent over the sky. 

As we walked I felt my Mark tingle. I looked down and so did he, and what I saw made my heart almost skip a beat.

It was still as dark as ever, only now as I look at it closer, there was a new color seeping into the pitch blackness of the circle, replacing the once murky dark ink of his name.

The color red.


	22. Threat - Third Night/Fourth Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PLAYLIST:  
> Avenged Sevenfold - Buried Alive  
> The GazettE - DEUX  
> BTS - Spring Day  
> RAZOR - Another

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE LISTEN TO THE PLAYLIST I PUT TOGETHER ITS GREAT I PROMISE
> 
> Okay so, I won't say much here. Just know that I can't always promise happy things ;) (hence the survival horror tag)
> 
> Also, I'll switch to third person for some parts to let the plot flow together better. 
> 
> There is also the introduction of yet a new set of characters whom I have never introduced before, so this will be a new thing for me. It's completely out of left field and I am trying my best lmao

** ** **NORMAL POV**

 _There was a_ _deafening_ _silence_ _that_ _seemed to linger, especially during the deepest hours of the night. The_ _moon_ _did little to alleviate this dark blanket, even as a_ _flickering_ _candle struggled to cut_ _into_ _the void. The flame was shaking in_ _the_ _old hand of a failed_ _man_ _of faith, the wax_ _dripping_ _onto the cold dirt ground of a hidden hovel deep inside the earth,_ _hidden_ _away. The size of a small room, it was barely big enough to accompany more than a few people but was stuffed full beyond its capacity._

 _He waited for a slightly younger woman in_ _front_ _of him to speak, ignoring the sea of small pallid faces behind him looking at_ _him_ _with fear._

 _"So? What did you_ _find_ _out?"_

 _There_ _was a hissing sound akin to the release of a deeply held_ _breath_ _laden with confidence and self-satisfaction._

 _"Ah,_ _you'll_ _be pleased to know that_ _I_ _have_ _received_ _information on the demons that have_ _overrun_ _our building. Information that might prove..._ _rather_ _useful to us."_

_A satisfied hum was given in response._

_"Really? What information?"_

_There is the shuffling of feet and a cleared throat._

_"Ahem. I found out that they have taken the good doctor hostage, as well as the_ _girl_ _who hears voices. Both are apparently being treated well, as the_ _demons_ _have seemed to take a liking to them._ _Perhaps_ _that's_ _our key out of here."_

 _The older man huffed in thought,_ _the_ _candle_ _being_ _set down._

 _"I see. So what_ _are_ _your_ _thoughts_ _on what to do? With the urchins holding us down, we cannot risk an escape."_

 _The_ _two_ _of them looked back at the scared faces,_ _seeing_ _them all whimper as they scrambled back_ _onto_ _dirty_ _cold blankets covered in_ _dirt_ _._

 _"Hmm. I need more time," the younger female admits. "I don't know how they work, but_ _I_ _will continue to research. If I can figure_ _out_ _a weakness_ _in_ _the demons guarding the perimeter, then we can take off. If_ _they_ _find us,_ _it's_ _all over. These... little ones are to be used solely as an incentive._ _They're_ _a weakness but_ _to_ _us_ _they're_ _useful. Keep_ _them_ _fed, and keep them pure._ _Tainted_ _goods are a recipe for disaster."_

_Both of the dark figures hiss at the small forms that cowered in fear and cried silently, uncaring of their current predicament._

_"Understood," the old man finally says gruffly. "People on the_ _outside_ _are growing restless. If we're_ _not_ _careful, we could lose all our sources. These damned demons were a mistake."_

 _The_ _woman_ _scoffed_ _, her tone scathing._

 _"If it wasn't for your insatiable greed, we could have been well to do already, half the goods being_ _sold_ _off. But with demons running around with a thirst for our blood, we can barely do anything."_

 _The old man grunts and_ _crossed_ _his large burly arms._

 _"You have a job to do, so go do it._ _The_ _demons are no longer useful_ _to us_ _,_ _having_ _proved themselves far more trouble than their worth. We'll have to abandon this location if we get out of this."_

 _The woman rolled her eyes and turned to the old rickety ladder that led_ _out_ _of_ _the_ _dirt hovel into an old stone trap_ _door_ _in a granite floor above their heads._

 _"What about_ _the_ _doctor and the girl?"_

 _He made a vague but threatening gesture with his_ _hands_ _._

 _"Once_ _their_ _usefulness runs out, they_ _aren't_ _needed."_

 _The woman_ _ponders_ _for a_ _moment_ _before beginning to climb up the ladder._

 _"_ _I'll_ _be back in the_ _morning_ _with food, make sure you keep your grubby hands to yourself."_

 _The man once again grunted and watched_ _the_ _woman leave through the trap door with steely eyes, his_ _irritation_ _elevating as it slammed closed. But with her gone, he finally managed his first sick and disgustingly intent sneer as he turned to the_ _poor_ _unfortunate_ _souls trapped down here with him._

 _"Now, who_ _wants_ _to give me their hugs for tonight?_ _You'll_ _be_ _rewarded_ _if you behave..."_

_*****************************_

The night brought with it a sudden chill, yet it seemed typical for the time of the month. It was nearing Halloween soon, meaning the veil between their worlds was the thinnest. Aoi had warned them all that this would be a dangerous time for them all. Demons and creatures of all sorts, both with Marks and without, would be let loose on this place what with all the portals around here.

Which brought them all to the main room by the fireplace that night when Aoi and Uruha returned from their walk. The raven called them all out to talk, saying he had something important to talk about. But Ruki and Brianna had been talking alone there already, making them both raise their eyebrows in surprise. She was wearing a new dress too, a deep navy one with a white collar and sleeves with small gold patterns crisscrossing the fabric. 

"Um, are we interrupting anything?" The Raven asked with a chuckle. Brianna flushed up to her ears and Ruki huffed, suddenly irritable.

"Nothing that would concern either of you," he growled, trying to sound threatening but when Brianna shot him a stern look he shrunk down and looked away, puffing out his cheeks. 

"We were just talking about some stuff," she clarifies and smiled at Uruha. "It's nothing important. Rather, what did you guys want to talk about?" 

The second pair sat with them on the couches, making sure to separate Aoi from the girl as was per usual to prevent tension. 

"I want us all to have a plan," Aoi began in an unusually grim manner, his face set into a hard line. "All Hallow's Eve will be upon us soon, and that means the barrier keeping other demons and creatures from freely wandering about in this place is getting thinner and thinner. We'll need to be prepared and to do that, both Ruki and I should try to find our seals as quickly as possible so we can get stronger. Of course the same goes for Reita, and I will have to tell him that once we're done here. I know he's sulking somewhere and he needs to be disciplined."

Ruki's eyes rolled at the mention of the arrogant blonde demon, huffing out loudly to show his internal displeasure. 

"I swear, that idiot is acting like a child," he sighed. "He should be happy since he has already broken four of his seals.How immature."

"What?" Uruha questioned. "He already broke that many?"

Ruki nodded, draping his arm over the backrest of Brianna's seat.

"Why else do you think he has been seen less and less? He's doing his own thing and good riddance. Just talking about him makes me want to hit something."

To the Doctor's utmost surprise, Brianna suddenly places a hand on the leather clad leg of her Marker, patting it to soothe him. What had Uruha missed? 

"Ruki, please. Calm down. We have to do what Aoi says, which means you have to work harder if you want to be stronger."

The brunette haired demon sighed and nodded, clearly deep under the spell of Brianna's soothing touch. Both Aoi and Uruha almost choked at the blatant display of trust and personal lines and boundaries being crossed. 

"I know I know, I'm just worried about leaving you alone with all the demons running around here now. With every day, the Unmarked get stronger. It makes me nervous."

Was Ruki actually being vulnerable and transparent? What happened to the tough and intimidating demon from before? Aoi had to stop himself from giggling a few times. 

"It's alright," Aoi offers, his own hand placed onto Uruha's thigh in a silent agreement. "There will always be someone here looking after her. Umi is strong, I can sense it. She will fight to the very end for her if she has to."

At the woman's name, Ruki visibly relaxed. Perhaps she finally put him in his place. That thought alone made Uruha want to smirk but he kept himself together. 

"Yes, anyway," Aoi continued and cleared his throat. "I'm just saying, there are a few more seventh levels running around, and don't worry they have Marks, so you don't have to worry about them. But we all know about the others that have moved in, just past that main doorway. Interaction with them is to be very limited, and shouldn't be attempted in any way. Right now, Ruki and I need at least two more seals broken before we're able to take them on. That's our priority right now. Break seals and find a way out of this mess."

Ruki listened intently, unaware of the soft shaking coming from Brianna until she violently shuddered and wrapped arms around herself. All three frowned and attention was shifted to her. 

"Are you okay?" Uruha couldn't help but ask. She frowned and the sound of her teeth chattering could be heard. 

"I'm all right, just... I suddenly felt a chill and it felt like there was a sudden blast of icy wind all over me. I don't know, it just... Made me uncomfortable."

"Well, that doesn't sound good," Aoi grumbled in annoyance. "Must be some new energy around here. A spirit or two must have wandered in."

She grew pale, as did Uruha. 

"S-spirits?" she peeped rather nervously. "There are spirits here?"

As Aoi said that, Uruha suddenly remembered an encounter he had that fateful day he was Marked. The small child that seemed to be running around outside in the once deserted corridor, was that a spirit? And the voice he heard... Could that have been one too?  

"It depends, if you felt such a sudden chill, it's definitely plausible. I'll have to look around, though I doubt it will show itself willingly without coercion of some sort. For now, don't worry. I doubt they will look to hurt us."

Ruki snorts and once again displayed irritation. 

"Great. Now that means we'll have to set them free! I already have enough things to worry about!"

Uruha could feel the curiosity wafting off of Brianna, and the mirrored irritation in Aoi. He really wished he could suppress these freaky empath feelings of his. But there seemed to be no such luck without those suppressants, and he didn't want to have to take them. It was bad enough that Brianna was taking them, and his own Mark was farther and deeper than Brianna's despite having been marked far later than her. She had an excuse, he did not. 

"So... Will we be able to see them?" Uruha asks his Marker, who only tilted his head. 

"Why? Do you want to help them?" Aoi inquired with a smile. 

"Maybe, if it will move this operation along then yes."

He didn't want to say that it was his innate nature to help people that dictated the words coming out of his mouth. However, Aoi seemed to catch onto that easily, his smirk turning absolutely maddening. 

"Well... No, not as you are. Normal humans can't easily see a spirit without help."

Now that was striking Uruha's inner curiosity, and he swallowed hard. 

"What kind of help?"

Aoi's smirk is about to drive him mad, his self satisfaction practically choking the air around him. 

"Seeing as how Ruki and I are 'unnatural' creatures, coming from a place hostile to humans, we can see them pretty easily. Ghosts are a form of energy, and our heightened senses can pick up on that. So, when we want a human to see them, we give that human a little piece of our energy. It's not painful, and would only take like five minutes. But from then on, that human is stuck with being able to see ghosts for the rest of their lives. Hence why most people resist. But it doesn't make much of a difference either way, considering a Marked Human never goes back to normal society. They would not fit in."

"It's true, I gave one human our power and he went insane," Ruki piped up from where he was sitting. "This power is simple to us but dangerous in the wrong hands. So... A bit of information for the future, if you will."

By now, both Uruha and Brianna were shivering from the cold air lingering in the room but listened intently with fascination. However, only one of them seemed even remotely interested in obtaining such a thing. 

"I see," Uruha answered, trying to mask the high pitch of curiosity. "So... If I were to get this from you, Aoi, would I be able to help them move on?"

The raven haired demon raised his eyebrows but made no move to protest. 

"You're certainly eager, aren't you?" he laughed and affectionately ruffles Uruha's hair. "Well, yes. If that's what you want. It could give you something to do while I look for my seals."

"And that would lessen my worries, so if you're up for it, I say go for it," Ruki sighed. "Meanwhile, it's late, and I'm tired. So if there is nothing else to discuss, I'm going to bed."

He stood up and so did Brianna, most likely going to see him to bed. 

"I'm going too," she said quickly and lifted her dress up in both hands as to not trip over it. "Umi! Help me find some night clothes please!"

Finally, it was only Aoi and Uruha left alone in the front room, the fireplace giving them some much sought after heat. After a few seconds of a seemingly deafening silence, it was finally broken by Aoi's gentle sigh. 

"Kouyou, you don't have to do it if you don't want," he murmured softly. "It's not meant to be taken lightly, Ruki wasn't kidding when he said this gift can drive a person insane."

Uruha had to laugh at that and he leaned forward to hold his ice cold hands to the heat of the fire.

"Yuu, I'm surrounded by demons on all sides, and both Brianna and I have already been Marked by one. What makes you think I haven't gone insane already?"

Aoi smiled a little bit and scoots closer to Uruha to revel in the heat from his legs. Even though they were separated by the leather of his pants, his skin was still nice and toasty. 

"That's true. Well, I mean, if you're willing..."

Aoi trailed off as he played with a stray strand of hair hanging on the side of Uruha's cheek, his eyes pretending to be disinterested while he waited for his answer. 

"Sure I am. Besides, it will make me feel useful. I hate walking around here not feeling like I am doing anything useful. I wanna help you, even if it's helping ghosts move on."

Uruha let his eyes wander through the flames, ignoring the heat that flared in his stomach from the gentle and absent touches from the other. Physical contact seemed to come so naturally to them now, but it still embarrassed him. 

"You're not useless, Kou," Aoi cooed. "If you feel useless, then I'm not doing my job right. If you really,  _really_ want then I can give you my power to see them, and then you can help me more. But not here, there are too many ears listening right now. Come on, let's go to bed."

The raven stands up and offered his hand to the brunette. Uruha bites his lip and hesitates for a second before accepting the invitation and letting Aoi take him into their shared room. 

"I won't go insane will I?" he asked, suddenly fearful. 

"Of course not," Aoi laughed and shuts the door. "Only when a person lets the power control them and consume them do they go mad. You're smart and brilliant, I have no doubt that this will only benefit you. And the ghosts of course. Now, give me your other hand. It won't bite, I promise."

Aoi was smiling with his eyes again. And the sight made Uruha nervous. Such an expression should not have made him so human, but it did. Something gave a tug inside his chest and he felt his throat go dry. Why did such a simple thing have this effect on him? Now he really felt like he was going insane...

"Well, we're this far," he muttered and gave up his other hand. "Might as well go the whole way right?" 

As they held hands the smile never leaves Aoi, even as his eyes close and more Latin words fall from his lips. 

'Latin again. Of course.'

**"Auxilium me in lucem videbo mors."**

A small spark of almost a static electricity sensation jolted through his fingers, making him jump. Was that it? 

"Did it work?" he peeped and looked around. Aoi grinned and lets him go to get ready for the night. 

"You tell me, do you see any ghosts in here?"

"No. Did it not work?"

Uruha couldn't help but feel a small pang of disappointment but Aoi's next words helped to ease some of that. 

"Just because they aren't in here doesn't mean they can't be anywhere else."

Uruha sighed and had to admit that much. Just because there were none in here doesn't mean the transfer failed. Maybe in the morning, he would go looking for that voice that called to him a few days ago. 

"You're right," he answered. "I'll test it out come morning."

They fell into their usual nightly rhythm of getting into sleep clothes, brushing their teeth and finding a comfy spot on the bed to tangle their limbs together. Aoi's breath brushing against the back of his neck proved to be only a little bit of a distraction, but the arms coiled tightly around his waist were what made him feel secure. 

"I need to shower in the morning," he sighed as he sleepily drifted away. Aoi hummed softly, pressing a butterfly kiss on his nape. 

"I think you smell fine, Kou-chan. But okay. I'll help you."

The thought would have made him shiver any other time, but right now he was too tired.

"Hmph..."

His mind didn't register much else. he just let the steady rhythm of Aoi's breathing and gentle movements lull him to a dreamless sleep.

Morning came slowly, the sun crawling slowly into its usual position behind the never ending haze of thick ominous clouds. Uruha felt his brain struggling to catch up as his eyes cracked open. The sun was barely peeking in through his curtains so he figured it had to be sometimes around seven or eight. Aoi was absent this time, not attached to him like a starfish. Maybe he was in the bathroom? 

A yawn leaves his mouth and he groaned, rolling over to catch a few more winks of sleep. But then a sudden cold blast makes him shiver and he shivers, yanking the covers up. 

"Aoi," he whined pitifully. "Did you open a window..?" 

No answer. Great. Uruha groaned and felt his shoulders creak in protest as he dragged himself into an upright position, fully ready to find the source of cold air when a sudden sight in his bedroom made him freeze. 

"Uhh...."

A boy was standing in his room, someone he had never seen before. Pale blonde hair cut to his ears with a soft fringe in his blank but deep blue eyes. he was wearing little more than a matching set of all white pajamas. But more than that... Was he... transparent? 

Well, the transfer worked apparently.

"Um... Who..."

The boy blinked, his face void of emotions. 

"I told you. I warned you. But now it's too late."

Then in a flash, he disappeared, leaving only a cold breeze. 

"What... the heck?" he groaned and forced himself awake. "Who the heck was that?"

The door suddenly opened and in came Aoi, looking particularly irked. 

"Ah, I see you're awake," the raven muttered, sighing. "Get up quick, there is someone you need to meet with. Although, by the looks of it, you've already met him."

Uruha frowned and watched the raven leave just as quick as he came in. Tired and freezing he pulled on normal clothes and left the room to find Aoi. He approached the main front room and seemed to feel his legs root in place.

"Aoi? Where's... Oh."

There he was again! That boy! Uruha floundered as he saw the boy standing in the room as nonchalantly as ever, his face blank but not at all as devoid as before. A healthy pink glow seemed to radiate from his cheeks, even as a single lollipop stick was hidden behind plump but chapped lips. 

Aoi seemed to be deep in a conversation with him before Uruha showed up and ushered him over. 

"Come on sleepy head, we have work to do. I imagine you must have met him already, right?" 

He directs this question at the mystery boy whom only nods, his eyes slowly considering Uruha. 

"Umm... What's going on?" the brunette asked. "What work?"

Great, barely morning and already there was a crisis. 

"Those demons in the other hallway," the boy says, his voice light and airy with a foreign sounding accent. "They're... Planning something. Something that could ruin the bubble of happiness you built here. You have to stop them."

Okay, wait... That was all just today? 

"You didn't answer my question. Who the heck are you?" 

The boy continued to stare but finally, for the first time, a ghost of a smirk appeared on his face and he pulled out the lollipop. It was all yellow and a perfect sphere. 

"Jimin. I'm just another ghost."

Aoi cackled a loud laugh before pushing at Jimin's shoulders, seemingly familiar with him already. 

"Looks like the transfer worked, right Uruha?"

The brunette just stood there, dumbfounded. Wait, so if this guy was a ghost then... 

"So you're dead?" 

Jimin scoffed, the lollipop going back in his mouth. 

"You're surprisingly dim-witted. But yes, I am dead. Have been for a while now."

"So why are you here? Other than for those... demons."

The ghost just hummed and shrugged off Aoi's arm, deciding then to float up and hover in midair then cross his legs as though he were sitting on furniture. Then he pinned Uruha with such a hard stare that he shudders from the intensity.

"I wanna go home. One of those portals that the humans made pulled me from my rest and forced me back here. It was completely at random, as I am originally from Korea of all places... But you guys are gonna help me. I'll make sure of that, or else I'll make your lives harder than they already are."

Then again, he disappears without a trace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the mystery ghost from a few chapters prior has been introduced! (The others will come later maybe hehehe)


	23. Searching - Fourth Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PLAYLIST:  
> The GazettE - Tomorrow Never Dies  
> BTS - Run  
> Avenged Sevenfold - So Far Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love new characters, and there are going to be even more as I go! Hopefully, if things go good, I will introduce new characters for the next five to six chapters after this one. They're important!
> 
> (Yes, this is jimin's 'serendipity' image that I am using)

**NORMAL POV**

The odd events of the morning seemed to be just the beginning of the rest of the day. Aoi decided it would be a good time to go and find the spirit that they had met, the one called... Jimin was it? Uruha was sure that was it. Did he want to go or did he want to stay? Neither knew because he was rather elusive.

But it made him wonder. What was he being warned about? Who was this person who he was supposed to avoid? Another demon that was even scarier than Aoi? Somehow that seemed hard to believe, but then again the raven was only a third level, and from what he understood, the second and first level demons are known as the Demonic Seraphims, or direct messengers of Hell.

So if it was any of those, they were surely screwed. How did that boy know about that anyway? How long has he been stuck here? Back then he didn't catch it, so maybe it was time to go looking for him. Hopefully, he would come back here soon, he didn't feel like confronting those demons in the other room. 

Aoi had gone off to find more places to safely go without interacting with the other demons, and Brianna was still asleep in her room. Ruki figured it was a good idea to let her sleep in and went off on his own as well. Which meant that besides Brianna, he was alone. When was the last time he was alone here? He didn't even remember anymore. He hadn't even seen or heard from Kai in while, and Reita was as sulky as ever, having been gone for the last few days.

Now, Uruha was not one to jump to conclusions, but he knew that it had something to do with Ruki. From what he understood, the two had a once romantic past but due to unknown reasons, they split apart. Rather bitterly too. Every time they were in the same room, the air around them crackled with tension thick enough to suffocate in. Yet Uruha knew that for Reita it was more personal than that. Reita's problem was that he was jealous of the girl for taking away Ruki's affection and attention. Ruki's problem was that Reita was too immature and needed to seriously move on. 

It was all just a jumbled mess of emotions and drama, both good and bad. He did not much care for any of that. Ruki's irritating attitude was going to rub off on him soon. 

He didn't even realize he was making a scowl until a sudden voice was snapping him out of it. 

"Your face isn't that flattering when you're scowling."

Uruha jumps in surprise, feeling his heart leap into his heart. 

"Whoa!"

He nearly faceplants on the floor, barely catching his balance just in time to grab onto his bed posts. That boy from before is there, hovering in a lounging position just over the black lounge situated near the bed. 

"Are you done?" he asks in a bored tone, still with that same lollipop in his mouth. 

"Where did- No, nevermind," Uruha growled and laid back on the bed. "How long have you been there?"

With a teasing chuckle, Jimin shrugged.

"Long enough." 

"Do you ever stop sucking on that thing?" 

The popping noise of the sucker leaving Jimin's mouth echoes in the room and he sighed. 

"No. Apparently I'm stuck with it since I died this way. I get sick of it too."

Somehow, the almost playfully irritating tone of his voice made Uruha want to believe otherwise. Scoffing he sits up and properly regards the boy, now able to see all his features even in such terrible sunlight. 

"Did you want to talk about something?" he asked, trying to seem disinterested. But this was good, he had been meaning to go looking for him anyway. The spirit huffed and lets his head hang over the edge. He wasn't as transparent as he was before, and seemed to be engulfed in an almost yellowish hue. 

"I learned what those demons names were, the ones in the other room. You people here in Japan have weird names."

Uruha decided to ignore that last bit and lets his eyes wander off. 

"Well, what are they?" he asked, trying not to be impatient. 

"Uhh let's see. They have a leader, I think his name was... Kyo? Yeah, that's it. And there was a second in command. Ka... Kao, Kaoru. And then the two others. Diesuke, and Toshi-something. I have to go back and catch the last part."

They have a leader? That's definitely a bad sign... Aoi would need to hear about this, and soon. 

"So do they really seem dangerous?" Uruha wondered and rubbed at the suddenly sore spot on his shoulder.

"As dangerous as Unmarked demons can be," Jimin replied, his accent making him seem more snarky. Then he said something in Korean that Uruha didn't understand. 

"What was that?" 

"Nothing. Anyways, I think you should let your, uh... Demon know all about this. I think he can pick up on other names better than me."

When he said 'your demon' there was a bit of hesitation, as though saying it made him remember something. Interesting... 

"I see. So, that gives him another thing to add to the list. And I was wondering something."

Jimin gave him a sideways glance, curious.

"Hmm?"

"Who were you warning me about? That day I was Marked, you warned me, telling me to leave before 'he' got a hold of me. Who are you talking about?"

Jimin's eyes darkened a little bit and he sighed, closing them seconds later.

"I can't tell you right now," he mumbles. "I'm not here to give out freebies. You want em, you gotta earn em. Right now I just need to find a way out. And that way out lies with your little ragtag group of friends."

Uruha scrunched up his nose. So much for that.

"They're not really my friends," he argues and puts his head in his hands. "So, how do we help you go home? And how long have you been here?"

The sound of the lollipop being sucked on rather obnoxiously starts to make his head hurt.

"Find the person who opened the portal that brought me here and either kill them or destroy the portal. Either way, it would work."

He truly seemed homesick, as though he was eager to find someone on the other end waiting for him.

"Is there someone waiting for you?"

He couldn't help but ask, and maybe it was rather intrusive but he was curious. Jimin seemed sad at first, but it was soon replaced by a wistful expression. One he knew anywhere. He was homesick and lovesick. That wasn't usually the most pleasant combination.

"Yes, my best friend and brother. We have been together for such a long time. His name is Taehyung and I... I miss him."

He sighed again and went quiet, probably thinking about this person right now. Uruha frowned and admitted to himself that he felt bad. Whoever this person was, he sounded like an incredibly important element in his life.

"I'm sure you'll see him again," he offers with a small smile. "I'll even help you out to the best of my extent. Even if I have to deal with those demons in the other room."

His earlier snarky attitude finally comes back and he smiled in a confident manner.

"I know. I said I would make sure you did, didn't I? I didn't stay here for a whole year to wait for nothing."

So that's how long he's been here? Just trapped with nowhere to go? Now Uruha felt even worse. Now he knew he had to help this poor kid. He deserved to rest.

"So, where are you originally from?"

Be wanted to know more about him for some reason, to dig for clues as to the identity of the one who opened the portal that trapped him here. That also may have just been his doctor side coming out again.

"Busan. But I moved to Seoul to pursue music."

"How did you die?"

"I had a stalker. He killed me because I rejected him so... I don't like to talk about it."

Uruha nodded, thoughtful. Maybe this could be useful...

"I see. So you were an idol?"

Jimin tilts his head, confused?

"What's with all these questions?" Be laughed. "And how do you know what an idol is?"

Uruha smiled back, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm a psychiatrist. I can't help but want to help people," he answered truthfully. "And also, I know because it's popular in Japan, and in Kanagawa, which is where I'm from. I know a thing or two."

It's true, the idol movement was taking the world by storm. Impressive, really.

The answer seemed to please the boy and he smiled, ready to respond before the door opens slowly. It was Brianna, probably wondering where everyone was. Jimin just stays on the lounge but sits up, now curious.

"Uruha..? Where is everyone?"

She rubbed her eyes and walks inside to sit on the edge of the bed, yawning. The white nightgown she was wearing was wrinkled but kept her covered up. The blonde spirit stares at her, taken aback by her sudden appearance.

"Aoi and Ruki are looking for seals. Did you just wake up?"

She nodded and resisted the urge to lay back down. This wasn't her room, it would be rude. So she swayed back and forth, still blinking away sleep.

"Yes... but Ru-chan wasn't with me when I woke up. I was confused."

Uruha rose his eyebrows in surprise, stunned into a speechless stupor.

"Ru-chan? Since when have you two been so familiar?" He muttered.

Brianna must have realized what she sad because, like last night, the pinkness of a blush rose up her cheek. Jimin began to laugh and Uruha almost berates him when he remembers that Brianna can't hear or see him.

"Umm... I... I didn't mean to say that," she whined in embarrassment before covering her face. "Oh God, if he knows I called him that, he'll never let me live it down..!"

Okay, so she was worried he might find out... but why?

"If he hurts you because of that-" he started but she shook her head, her eyes still covered.

"No, it's not that! Its... He showed me a side of him last night that I never have seen before! Don't tell him I told you, but... He's clingy. He's soft-spoken and nervous around me. It was... incredibly  _surreal_."

She uncovered her eyes, once again blushing and twiddling her thumbs, unaware of the loud and hollow cackling coming from the spirit. Uruha's eyes are close to saucers by now and he has to ignore the sounds to swallow down his surprise.

Ruki was showing her his rare soft side, which was a weakness... something that Aoi was also doing with him. This isn't a coincidence, right? Ruki was... displaying signs of  _courtship_. He knew Aoi was doing it, but for the prideful and arrogant Ruki to be doing it... it was just too much.

The sudden realization made his head spin and he had to hold his head. Jimin was still snickering, holding his side's as he dangled over the edge of the lounge.

"Ok... I promise I won't tell him," Uruha all but whispers. "I'm pretty sure he'd kill me if he ever found out I knew."

Brianna gives a nervous laugh and seemed to shiver because she was soon running her arms for warmth.

"Is it just me or is it cold in here?"

Jimin stops laughing and decided to get up suddenly, his face as mischievous as ever.

"The demons are here so I should go. I have things to do, I'll leave you to it. Maybe I'll find a way to bring Tae here while I'm at it, but if I find out more, I'll tell you. See ya later!"

He's giggling as he floats through the floor, gone as quick as he came.

"Yeah," Uruha responds but to no one in particular. And just as quickly, the door creaked open to let both Aoi and Ruki in.

"Ah! So you were here," the smaller demon chirped and let slip a small smile before quickly straightening up.

"Yes," Brianna answered, grinning under her breath. "I was alone and wanted someone to talk to is all."

Aoi sits by Uruha as usual and wraps an arm around him.

"Did I just feel Jimin leave?" The raven asks. Uruha briefly could hear Brianna ask 'who' but he can only hear the pulsing in his ears. 

"Yes, he was just here to talk about some stuff. I think he wants to bring someone that he misses here. Would he be able to do that?"

Aoi ponders for a moment, putting his head on Uruha's shoulder in its usual place.

"Hmm... maybe? He wouldn't be able to leave since he was pulled here forcefully, but the friend could come and go as he pleases. If another demon could Mark him he could become flesh again."

Was that something they could do?

"A ghost can become flesh even after death?" He asks. "I didn't know they could be Marked..."

"Yes, but he won't be human, nor will he be alive. He'll be turned into a seventh level, only if he wants to though."

"He will be more useful if he accepts though," Ruki grumbled and kept his eyes on the floor, seemingly embarrassed at the sight of a barely dressed Brianna. "Otherwise, just floating around here doing ghost stuff like disappearing and not telling us what to do is more annoying than helpful."

She looked around with wide eyes at all of them, not sure of what the heck was going on.

"Is there a ghost around here?" She squeaks.

"Yes, he was here a minute ago," Aoi sharply responds. "Though you didn't see him like Uruha could because you don't have the Sight. That's too bad."

Uruha half expected her to shrink away in fear or at least keep her mouth shut. But to his surprise, she puffed out her chest like an angry puffer fish and venom seeps from her lips.

"Well, excuse me for wanting to stay as human as I can," she huffed and stands with a flourish of her nightgown and a small sideways glare at the raven. "Some of us still want to keep what sanity we have left intact. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some things to take care of."

She huffs loudly again before leaving the room. The three left in the room are stunned by her bold actions against two very powerful demons, and Uruha almost starts to panic from the way Aoi is tensing up just beside him. But then as Ruki gets up to leave and chase after her, an unexpected sound burst from Aoi's throat.

He's laughing. Actually  _laughing_. The smaller demon frowned with his hand on the handle, scowling as he slams it closed.

"What's so funny?" Uruha asked suspiciously. "Are you okay? You're not mad are you?"

The raven is ready to fall over, he's laughing so hard. There are almost tears in his eyes and one had to wonder if he was finally going nuts.

"Oh man," Aoi wheezed. "She gets bolder and bolder every day! It's almost endearing!"

Is he... complimenting her again? All in the span of less than a week? Maybe something was happening to him. Did demons even get sick like humans did?

"Umm... Yuu I think you need to lie down," he nervously laughed and scoots away from the clearly delusional raven. "I need to go shower..."

But the demon is having none of that and grabs Uruha around the waist to pull him down onto the bed to trap him in his arms.

"Mm I missed you," he giggled into his ear. "Were you lonely without me?"

Why was he changing the subject? Wasn't he upset?

"Your hands are cold," he complained as Aoi touched and traced his hip bones, still barely covered by gray sweatpants. "Still as perverted as ever..."

Shivers go through his skin and he has to bite his tongue to stop himself from making any noise. The earlier events seemed all but forgotten when Aoi teased him like this.

"Mm, I know, but I know you like it," the raven whispers in his ear.

"Do not."

"You're such a cute tsundere, I almost find myself believing it."

Uruha sighed, and just resigned himself to his fate. More than that... perhaps it was best to change the subject again.

"Jimin told me something interesting."

"Mhm?"

"Those demons, in the other hallway? He thinks they're planning something big, they have a leader and it doesn't look good."

Aoi seemed to be listening intently as his hands stopped wandering.

"Their names?"

"Uh, there was Kyo. And Kaoru, and the third one was Diesuke. He had trouble remembering the other one but... if he catches it he'll come back and tell me."

As he said the names, he almost choked as Aoi's hold around him suddenly tightened uncomfortably.

"Damn... this isn't good," he growled, not realizing he was squeezing until Uruha coughed. He let's go, and sits up sheepishly. "Whoops. Sorry..."

The brunette struggled to breathe and glared at Aoi over his shoulder.

"Jeez, hold yourself back once in a while," he huffed. "And do you know those names?"

Aoi nodded, his face troubled.

"Yes... Jimin doesn't need to come back and tell you, I already know it. Kyo, Kaoru, Diesuke, and Toshiya. All are dangerous demons back home. Since they're Unmarked their actions are unexpected and dangerous. I was wondering why something about them felt familiar, they're using different bodies to not be detected."

It was no wonder that Jimin was nervous. If a third level like Aoi was worried about a bunch of seventh level Unmarked demons than something was definitely off.

"So them showing up here can't be a coincidence," Aoi continued. "An Unmarked demon must always be in the presence of other Unmarked, lest they develop their own Mark, and therefore develop a moral compass."

He spat out that last part with disdain and sighed into his hand. Uruha sits up as well, now worried.

"What do we do?"

The raven has to hold his head in his palm to stare out at the window, keeping his anxiety in check.

"There is little we can do right now except hope that I find enough seals to be able to overpower them should something happen. A few seventh levels against one third level is normally a piece of cake but..."

His words trail off and Uruha can feel a pit developing his stomach. Aoi is nervous, that much was obvious. And he was showing by the way he bites his nails. That just leads him to one conclusion.

What if whatever they were planning had something to do with the mystery person Jimin was warning him about? What if they were planning on bringing someone here that could possibly destroy everything? That cannot happen, not after what they have been through these last few days.

"So... we really have no time to waste, right? You need those seals to break, or else..."

He too trailed off, feeling the anxiety bite away at his sanity. Aoi looked at him, the fear of an unknown future reflected in his eyes. And it scared him more than anything Aoi has done to him in the past.

"I'll be unable to protect you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THE PLOT THICKENS
> 
> I have some FLuff and important introductions in store for the next chapter, so please stay tuned. As always, Kudos and comments keep this story alive! <333


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok no new character this time, but there are more next time!

******NORMAL** **POV**

Brianna was shaking, she was so anxious. She couldn't believe that she snapped at Aoi like that! And no immediate retaliation had made her leave abruptly to avoid any backlash. Yet, after nearly five minutes she received none. It was driving her absolutely insane!

What happened to that big bad demon she met a few days ago who glared at her every time she so much as spoke up? If this kept up, she would start to think that he was getting softer. And it would be bad to say out loud, but she couldn't help but let the thought cross her mind. However she knew, she  _knew_ , that Aoi would literally skin her ALIVE if he ever knew about this!

Ruki followed after her to the front and then her bedroom only to burst into laughter once they were out of earshot of the door, just going off like an absolute madman.

"I can't believe you did that," he was gasping with no hesitation. "His face was priceless!"

She was pale and shaking, wrenching her fingers in the fabric of her nightgown. A cold sweat was making her feel faint and she had to sit down.

"I'm so dead," she whispered with wide eyes. "I haven't talked back to anyone like that before! Why didn't Uruha stop me!"

Maybe she was spending too much time around Ruki... even with the inhibitors keeping them internally distant, she was getting the brunt of his personality in full force and it was affecting her, making her more fearless. That was too dangerous, and not even just around Aoi. But for the other demons too. If push comes to shove, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to hold her tongue.

Ruki reined in his laughing and managed to sit beside her, grinning like he just received the most amazing present ever.

"I think I'm more suited to this side of you," he chuckled. "You're much more attractive when you stand up to that guy."

"This is gonna get me killed," she sighed, ignoring his sudden spike in affectionate behavior.

"Not if I have to say anything about it," he muttered, his voice deep and husky. "If anyone tries, they'll be dead first. Be it a random demon or my own brothers, I'll keep you safe."

His own brothers? Was she worth that much? Her already low self-esteem was seriously making her doubt it.

"You'd fight them over me? I'm not worth starting fights over..."

She was expecting him to say something in return regarding her being silly. But when his sudden presence in the small bubble she kept up around herself forced her to look at him, she felt her heart jump into her throat.

Ruki was staring at her with dark and intense eyes, his face as stoic yet confident as ever.

"You are. Even if you don't trust me, I won't let anyone touch you."

And then he grabbed her hand, his skin cold but... soothing? That wasn't a good sign... she didn't pull away and instead looks at his lap, biting the inside of her cheek. How does she even get around to responding properly to this sort of thing?

Her voice stuttered just like the pulse in her chest, making her ears ring with a buzzing sensation. Were they... having a moment?

They seemed to be, at least until a knock at the door interrupted them of said moment. Ruki was showing his usual irritation and let her go, his eyes rolling.

"Come in," she squeaked and hid her face. Thankfully it was just Umi.

"Good morning, my Lady," she says warily as she gives Ruki a sideways glance. "Would you like to take a bath before breakfast?"

Brianna nodded quickly, albeit a little too quickly.

"Yes, thank you. That sounds lovely.  Just let me find some clothes."  
She gets up to look when Ruki stands and makes a move for the door.

"I'll go see what the maids made you to eat," the small demon sighs and gives her a small longing look, one that would have usually gone unnoticed but she caught anyway thanks to her sudden consciousness of him and his every location. Why did it never bother her before??

"Okay. I'll be out in a while," she mutters back and went to looking. She didn't see the face he made but heard another sigh before the door opened and clicked closed. She let out a breath she hadn't even thought to hold in. Umi takes notice and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Is everything okay with you two?" She inquired. "I know it's normally not my place to ask, but your well being is of the utmost importance."

Psh, tell that to her no good parents...

"It's fine. We just... had a small talk about the... current standings of our relationship. Or what relationship there is. It's complicated and hard to explain."

Umi sighed but nodded. She always seemed to be so understanding.

"I understand. We can talk more about it once you're comfortable. For now, would you like to wear your jewelry for the day?"

With the buzz in her ears not fading away, she looked at the necklace stand that displayed her 'gift.' She hadn't worn it all day yesterday, but no one could have really been able to tell since she was wearing a high collared dress. It felt too heavy on her emotionally, but maybe it was time to finally own up to the responsibility of her Mark.

"Yeah... That's a good idea."

Umi smiled and takes the small display with her, looking over her shoulder as she turns to leave. But Brianna feels rooted in place, her fingers still feeling around aimlessly in her closet. The feeling of Ruki's hand on her own still made her feel uncomfortably warm.

"Are you coming, dear?"

Her voice was barely above a murmur as she answered.

"Yeah... I'll be there in a few minutes, just let me find some clothes."

Her odd behavior raised some questions, but Umi knew she was already overstepping her bounds.

"Then, I'll be waiting, dear."

She left her alone as usual, and for once Brianna was relieved to be somewhat alone. With all that was going on, maybe being on her own wasn't the worst thing that could happen. What even was privacy here anymore?

"I feel like I'm going insane," she muttered and finally decides on an all black dress with a medium length and was ready to go our when a small glass bottle on her bedside table caught her eye. Oh right, she had almost forgotten to take those.

Sighing she folded the dress over her arm and uncorked it to drop a single red pill into her palm to swallow it down and chase after it with water.

Only seconds later she felt the familiar sensation of a pleasant numbness spreading through his body. Her Mark tingle and the feeling of her earlier emotional torment seemed to wear off.

These inhibitors seriously worked wonders, didn't they?

****************

Once she found herself all proper and washed up, Brianna joined the demons in the main room where Umi and Ruki were waiting for her. Aoi and Uruha were at the other end of the table, engrossed in their own little world. There was a huge plate of pancakes waiting for them all in the middle of the table too. Well, that was unusual.

"Come on, it can't be that hard," he hears Uruha mutter quietly as she sits near Umi. "Just tell them to make an alternate route from here!"

Were they planning something here? Her questioning glance is met with the raven staring at her with a hard expression, as though to say 'how dare you eavesdrop' even though they were sitting just right next to them.

"It will be dealt with," he answered and turns his gaze back. "But now isn't the time. For now, just focus on eating."

Uruha pouted, a face that was similar to a child not getting what he wanted from his parents. But he did what he was told and silently ate his own food.

"What are you two going on about now?" Ruki grumbled as he absent mindedly scribbled on a piece of paper.

"Uruha is complaining about not having an alternate route in and out of this floor," Aoi scoffed. "Those guys that I told you about are posing too much of a threat now that we know they're up to something. The portals need to be closed up soon, or at least slowed down."

"Slowed down?" Brianna asked through a mouthful of food.

"Yes," Aoi sighed and gave an annoyed look. "It's too dangerous for you humans to walk around freely. Uruha and I need to be able to find seals faster, and you can't be cooped up every day right?"

She nodded, finally understanding.

"Portals aren't a static thing," Umi supplied in a soft voice. "If they are left unattended, they can get bigger and let in more dangerous creatures. So if we at least manage to keep them small, we'll be okay. Letting in more third levels with no seals keeping them subdued, well, it could spell disaster for all of us."

Aoi and Ruki both nodded.

"But it's like I said," the raven continued. "Right now, I have other things to worry about. So for the time being, let's just focus on finding a way around it. Hurry up and finish if you want to help your new friend."

He said that last part to Uruha rather haughtily, as though jealous all over again. Oh great not this again...

"He's not really my friend yet," he grumbled but said nothing else about it. Brianna frowned, feeling left out.

"Are you guys talking about that ghost?"

Aoi wanted to seem indifferent, but the way his eyes were showing his annoyance was betraying that sentiment.

"Yeah. He has a problem that needs fixing and Uruha's helpful side is preventing him from overlooking it. Not like I can help it though."

Uruha gave him a smug look and pushed away the now empty plate.

"Well, let's see. Considering I'm not a heartless demon with years of a cold abrasive attitude to water me down, I would say I have a perfectly good reason," he retorted back just as smugly. "Plus, I'm a doctor. I don't know how many times I have to use that excuse but I guess I should keep using it anyway."

There it was again, his soft side. No matter who he met, Uruha had too big of a heart not to care, despite not knowing that person for more than a week. It's literally been four days since this all started, how much space in his heart did he have?

"I know, you prove to me time and again that your humanity is what keeps you from turning out like me," the raven chuckles, making Brianna almost shiver from the dark undertones. "But I guess that's a good thing. For now."

Beside her, Ruki made a small gagging noise and she looks at him with a sharp stare, making him shrink away. But his expression of disgust never changes.

"Please flirt somewhere else," he sighed and angrily crumpled up the paper. "Its gross."

Uruha laughed softly to himself and stands up.

"Come on Aoi. We should go now, Jimin needs our help."

The raven smirks and pins Brianna with one last possessive glare before throwing an arm around Uruha and leading him away. Now normally by this point, she would be feeling a pang of jealousy and resentment for what she lost. But right now, she didn't feel... anything. Well, besides the strange numbness in her chest, there wasn't much to report.

Perhaps the inhibitors worked better than she thought. Was that a good thing or bad thing? She had no idea but only time would tell.

"Are you all done?"

Ruki was staring at her and seemed inquisitive. She looked down and realized that her plate was also rather empty. When did she finish?

"Oh, yes. I'm done."

The small demon nodded and his annoyance seemed to melt away from his face, and a faint dull feeling of heaviness spread in her fingers. That was weird...

"Good, because I want to talk to you about something."

He waited for her to stand and then took her to his room, and immediately she feels nervous, guarded almost. But this was probably important, so she complied without a single protest.

"What did you need to talk to me about?"

The door closed to the room and she looked around, realizing she has never actually been in here before. It was...  surprisingly plain. A deep maroon carpet was underfoot and a single queen bed with dark red covers was pushed all the way up against the left wall. Other than a bookshelf, a dresser, and a plain desk, there was not much to see. 

Still, it made her nervous. They haven't exactly been alone together since that day she got the necklace.

The demon walks to his bed and offers her a seat, which she takes gratefully. But he stays standing, preferring to wander about and pace in his spot. Was he also nervous? It seemed like it. He was chewing ardently on his nails, unsure of how to start. If it weren't for her medication, she was sure she would feel it all. Instead, she was only confused by his behavior.

The words from his conversation with Uruha earlier came back and she remembered why he acted like this.

'Courtship.'

A red hot blush spread across her face, making her hide it. Oh God, Ruki would probably never ever let her forget this.

"So... I know we got off to a bad start but I do know one thing now," the demon began, not noticing her random display of embarrassment. "I want us to be on good terms. So... so if you need me to do anything for you, get you anything, I can do it. Absolutely anything."

What did he mean?

"What do you mean, anything?"

He sighed and continued pacing in front of her. If he kept this up she would get dizzy.

"Anything you want. I can get you things, do stuff for you. Anything that will help us."

Us? He was sure spouting off some strange things... his 'Courtship' skills could use some work. His nervous darting eyes and distracted pacing were not helping. She crosses her arms and tries to think of something, but only one thing is coming to mind.

"There is.... one thing you can do for me," she began slowly, wringing her hands. Ruki stopped pacing to look at her with expectant eyes.

"Yes. Anything. Just name it."

Would it really be that simple though? Brianna doubted it, and for good reason. Ruki wasn't exactly known for his soft side when a certain raven and brunette were around.

But she could try to patch up their broken up relationship. It would make being Marked by him much less painful.

"Then... just one thing. You need to get along better with Aoi and Uruha. I can't stand it when you all fight constantly over nothing."

Her face was serious and when Ruki froze in place, she knew that a nerve was struck. Was it really that hard? Aoi was like his brother for God's sake. He should be able to handle this since it was so simple.

Yet, that seemingly irked expression was enough to tell that he was taken off guard. So she just sighed, feeling her hope decrease just a little bit.

"You don't know what you're asking me," he huffed, now frustrated. "I can't help how I feel. This is just how we are when we have a Mark. We feel nothing but the desire to keep them close it us and no one else, and any previous relationship feels pointless to us. I can't take him back so simply, and as for the other human, well..."

He trails off, his face growing stony and expressionless. Well, it was impossible to expect results so easily. Maybe he needs time to think about it.

"I'm not asking you to do it right away," she answered and crossed her fingers to stop them from growing clammy. "Just give them time. Humans need companionship, you should know that by now. Limiting our relationship would only make me upset, and you would feel that, right?"

From what she understood, these inhibitors only affected her, and anything that she felt Ruki still felt. Just not the other way around.

"Yes but.... ahh, I don't know about all of this," the demon suddenly exclaims and grips his hair. "I've never had to deal with such things! I'm just as confused as you are right now. Just, give me a chance. I'm sure that if I try... I am sure that I can do it. But right now, I'm still very defensive."

She swallowed from the weird prickling on her neck from the way he said 'defensive,' but chose to continue on as though unaffected.

"Then I suppose that's good enough, at least for now. Just don't snap at Uruha anymore, he's only trying to help me cope. And since he is already Marked by Aoi you should know he won't do anything to threaten you."

How hard was that to figure out for him anyway? Even if Uruha wanted to, he couldn't try anything because of Aoi. It was already complicated enough, but if the last few days told her anything, it was that Uruha hoped to keep both their sanity and their safety intact. He wasn't dumb, and she knew that better than anyone.

Ruki sighed and sat near her, keeping his arms to his side almost self consciously.

"I understand... I can't help it, but... I'll try."

Brianna nodded, satisfied.

"There is... one other thing you can do for me. Something far simpler and easier to do."

Ruki looks at her with a much more excited face, his body no longer similar to a deflated balloon.

"Yeah?"

Brianna smiles then, a sweet smile that she had no idea the effects of. Ruki could feel his chest almost collapse. She was... angelic in a way that he could not even fathom. Like nothing could steal away her smile forever.

"Here."

She held out her hand, fingers outstretched in invitation. This was unusual for her, but she figured it would only help them in this situation. Ruki needed to learn how to properly display affection, something that was lacking right now.

At first, he was confused, not able to understand what she was doing so suddenly. But he quickly realizes and nods before slowly taking her hand in his. Her skin was warm as expected, but without the earlier audience, he felt less embarrassed.

This was... nice. Such a precious moment was rare for him, and he felt almost at peace? Her smile was not faltering, instead, it grew wider. They sat in a contented silence, and he knew he could not let her down.

No matter what, he can't let that smile slip away. 

**_TBC_ **


	25. Attachments - Fourth Day / Fourth Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOH NEW CHARACTERS. This chapter is just a tad longer than normal :D

******Normal** **POV**

 _Things_ _seemed_ _less and less like reality the more that time went by. How long has it been_ _I_ _wonder, since... since he_ _left_ _. I_ _can't_ _really remember, all time in this_ _place_ _is like_ _nothing_ _to me anymore. I can feel the stretch of_ _time_ _around me, yet_ _I_ _am not affected. I see_ _faces_ _around_ _me_ _,_ _both_ _young_ _and old, and they too are stuck on_ _the_ _throes_ _of time_ _such as myself._

 _All of us stay lost and wandering, yet some are not alone. This_ _place_ _is a haven, yet_ _I_ _feel more alone_ _than_ _ever since he was taken from me._

 _I miss him._ _His_ _sweet blue eyes that crinkle when_ _he_ _smiles with pink innocent lips. That light sun colored hair that_ _seemed_ _like_ _it_ _was spun from gold. And such a sweet personality one might think he was made of sugar.  He didn't deserve the fate he was met with, to be yanked away from life after_ _barely_ _learning to experience it._

 _Life_ _was_ _cruel_ _, as was the death that met us after. But without him next to me, it feels even colder._

 _The stretched out ocean in front of me was the only solace I had_ _left_ _. We both occupied this small bubble in the strange_ _afterlife_ _we shared, and it mimicked his old childhood home a little too perfectly. But without his bright smile and feathery_ _voice_ _with me,_ _I_ _can no longer feel the warmth of this place._

_His small cactus that was so lovingly cared for was starting to wilt. His favorite yellow blanket grows cold. There is a soft bouncy ball on the windowsill overlooking the ocean from here, covered in dust._

_I hope_ _I_ _can see him again,_ _I_ _hope_ _he_ _comes_ _home soon. Otherwise,_ _I_ _feel as though_ _I_ _might waste away._

********************

"Are you sure this is going to work?"

Again, Jimin seemed insistent in asking the same question over and over again. Aoi was growing annoyed at his restless behavior. Being stuck in a creepy place like the second floor therapy suite was not something he wanted to deal with right now, but they had little choice.

Uruha shivered violently, remembering what happened here when he met Brianna the first time. It would always give him nightmares, he was sure. How she was feeling, he had no idea. They hadn't talked much about what happened back then.

"Trust me, Casper," the raven mutters as he expertly draws a circle of salt on the hard concrete floor. "I've had my share of summoning portals, this is nothing."

Jimin pouted at the name, crossing his arms.

"Please, refer to my name if you can," he mutters. "Unless you want me to keep referring to you as just another  _demon_."

He spat that last part out with such venom that it made even Uruha shiver. Was there some kind of tension between Jimin and demons for some reason? Did they pester him all the time? He had so many questions now.

"Oh, pipe down, you'll disturb me," Aoi continued unfazed and stood up to admire his handiwork. "Alright, now I just need a bit of blood. No big deal."

He didn't bother to look back at Uruha as he got out that dagger he always carried around before slicing open his palm. By this point, however, the brunette had long since gotten used to it, not flinching as his Marker spilled blood onto the circle so easily, the droplets falling in such large falls that the sound of it hitting the ground echoes almost obscenely.

Yet neither of them seemed to notice the way that their blonde companion seemed to become even more pallid in color, forcing himself to turn away as to not look. Thoughts of a lost former life come rushing back and it takes all his self control not to flee from the room. How would that paint him, like a coward? Someone unable to handle the sight of blood? No, that was not going to happen. Jimin may be a pushover, and already dead, but he was not a coward.

Resolutely he ignores it until the splashing stops and a red hue settles on the portal. Aoi says something in Latin again, but Jimin does not understand. However, Uruha seemed to understand very well, his face becoming twisted into something akin to disgusted curiosity.

"There, that should do it. All we need now is something of value of that person and it should be a piece of cake. If his spirit is not stubborn anyway. Sometimes they resist."

"He really shouldn't," The blonde argues. "He will know it's me. I know he will."

His desperation to get this over with far outshines his earlier hesitation and snarky attitude, showing in the way that he pulled something from the pockets of his white pants. A piece of paper?

"What's this?" Aoi asked as Jimin hands it over. Uruha curiously watched him unfold it, surprised to see a full size portrait of someone on the front. A young man, also not of Japanese descent, was carefully and almost lovingly etched from charcoal on its surface. The paper was worn but taken care of, it's once white sheen having dulled from age. How could a spirit carry this around? It looked and felt real. And who was he? Is this the boy they were trying to summon here?

"He gave this to me a long time ago," Jimin answers, his thick accent barely above a whisper. "It's not of me or him, but of another precious friend who is still alive. It's a good luck charm, and all I have left of his. I hope it works."

Aoi continued to stare at it and shrugs, satisfied. Drawings from the subject itself were as good as it got.

"Yeah, okay. I'll give it back when I'm done, just a piece will do."

Aoi carefully tears a small corner from one of the blank edges, making sure to keep the drawing mostly intact. Once satisfied he gives it back and doesn't notice the wistful look in Jimin's eyes.

He splashed a few drops to the paper, mumbling in Latin as the small paper absorbs the blood and forms a series of symbols so small they were barely noticeable. The circle is still glowing an eerie red as he drops the paper onto its surface.

Uruha has to hold onto all as a violent tremor rocks the room suddenly, a blinding red light splitting the floor open in a huge crack within the confines of the circle. Deep inside there was the sound of wind violently whirling and whistling, mimicking the sounds of screaming. A violent torrent of white stars and a deep black void was all they could see inside, painting a morbid image of the world below.

"Is that it?" Jimin asks. "What now?"

Aoi wiped his hands on his pants and stepped back to observe the portal better.

"Now we wait," he says simply. "If I'm right, then the pull towards your friend should be strong enough to find him in the next few hours. It will attract him like a moth to a flame."

Uruha was vaguely aware of the hand holding onto his elbow, keeping him away from the dangerous portal.

"So we have to wait?" He asks.

"Yes. Well, he does," Aoi says and jabs a thumb at the ghost, who has settled himself on the edge of the portal, staring deep inside of it. "We, on the other hand, still have to break seals. If I'm right, my next regained power is an increase in my strength, one of the more important ones. Without it, I feel kind of helpless."

Even so, Uruha isn't exactly eager to know what had to be done now. What creative way did they have to kill someone now?

"Of course," he sighs and addressed his new friend. "Will you be okay here on your own? Who knows how long this will take."

Jimin nodded, absent minded as he stared deep into the portal. The illusion of stars rushing through an all black void of nothingness is almost hypnotic.

"Yes. I've waited for two years. A few hours is nothing. I'll be fine."

His voice has become monotone, his eyes trained on the opening. Aoi nodded and begins to pull Uruha away so they can leave this room. There was an energy that could not be felt to anyone normal, but after only a few days Uruha has learned to know when a room felt evil. This was exactly that feeling.

Witnessing a torture here of his own volition was very disheartening, even more so knowing he couldn't have don't anything to have stopped it without getting in serious trouble. Then again, maybe that trouble would be worth not having to see it ever again.

"Where to now?"

Aoi scrunched up his face, a clear picture of distaste.

"Kai said he picked up on a weird human like energy in the next few rooms over. We can check it out, see if his intel is any good. Maybe we'll find a seal."

Hopefully sooner rather than later, Uruha was not very keen on bloodshed.

"We'll come see you in a little while," he calls behind him. "Hopefully he'll be here by then!"

They are just over the threshold when a small whisper caught his ear just as the door closes. So small he just barely catches it. But it makes his heart swell with pride.

"Thank you."

********************

 _Something feels... off._ _There's_ _a slightly irritating and incessant nagging feeling in the back of his brain. It was as if... Was something_ _calling_ _him?_

 _It almost made no sense, but at this_ _point when_ _did anything? Would something happen if he maybe tried_ _to_ _follow it? A curiosity he never experienced_ _before_ _was stirring deep in his consciousness, and he contemplated upon venturing beyond_ _the_ _four_ _walls to find_ _the_ _source of this pull. What would_ _the_ _harm be in checking it out?_

 _The vast_ _ocean_ _being_ _the_ _small house is just as expansive as ever, but something about it feels different. The_ _normally_ _still current is now creating a soft whirlpool around the house, the waves lapping against the large platform upon which the house sat._

_Whatever this was also had an effect on his surroundings, so it had to be something incredibly strong._

_There is a small ladder going up the_ _side_ _of the house, so he quickly makes his way up and to_ _the_ _roof. A telescope pointed at a now pink_ _sunset_ _is all there was to see, aside from a wooden plank positioned over the ocean, which was now rapidly_ _spinning_ _in a whirlpool below him. The dizzying motions made him dizzy, and he could swear that it got darker with each passing second. Soon all around him was a whirling vortex of white speckles and a deep blackness that made him fear_ _the_ _ocean_ _more_ _than before._

 _Yet, as he stood on the roof to look into_ _the_ _whirlpool he felt_ _the_ _pulling intensify almost tenfold._

 _That was it. The whirlpool was calling to him_ _but_ _why?_ _Why did he feel the urge to leap into these depths with little to no abandon?_

 _Well he_ _wasn't_ _going to get his answers just sitting around here was he?_ _He_ _has to do this, it_ _was_ _important._

 _"_ _I'll_ _find you," he mutters against the whipping and_ _violent_ _winds lifting his soft silvery hair and_ _making_ _the chain pierced in his ear lightly hit his cheek. "No matter what,_ _I_ _will bring you home._ "

 _There_ _is a new burst of_ _confidence_ _as he steps out over the precipice, his heartbeat no longer there to distract him. Now he could only feel the increasing pressure in his ears, making_ _them_ _pop. By now the sky was black and streaked with bright twinkling stars, the sun long gone into the distance behind his exposed back._

_It's risky, he knows that. But he had no other choice or else this place will drive him to insanity._

_First one step, then another. Then a few more, until he is finally over the edge of the massive whirlpool threatening to swallow this place up. A terrible shaking soon began to rattle the house, urging him on. What would happen if he stayed? He didn't want to stay and find out._

_His eyes closed and he takes a deep breath, re-envisioning that sweet face before him again before turning his body to face away from the edge, letting his arms be his guide as he finally lets himself fall deep into the abyss._

_The points of light seem to rush past him at a dizzying speed, making his stomach flip uncomfortably. He half expected to slam into the water and feel pain, but he watched with awe as the house zipped past him and he fell into the massive void, being swallowed up as though he were no more than a simple speck._

_It swallowed him deeper and deeper, his body losing it's physical form for one of light, his arms and legs being enveloped in a bright rainbow hued light. Millions of white stars rushed past him, painting his skin as a night sky. The pulling was intense, but he knew that this was only for him._

_What was he to expect on the other end of the long dark tunnel? Another portal? Another unknown world? Well, he would find out soon._

_It seemed like hours had passed, and he had long fallen into a contented state of zipping through spacetime at what felt like a million miles an hour. It was... peaceful, much like what he felt in that house. What would become of it? Would it stay there and wait for them to come home? Or would it disappear?_

_Suddenly his thoughts are interrupted by a dark uneasy feeling clutching his body tight in a vice-like grip, squeezing him of his precious breaths. What was going on?_

_He looked behind him, expecting to only see the stars whooshing past him. But he regretted ever doing that, because a huge inky black figure was lumbering towards him, zipping through the stars at an incredible speed to catch up with him effortlessly. Deep crimson eyes pierced through his body, igniting a deep fear and struggle to get away._

_His body pushed itself to the limits, desperate to find it's way to the end before he was caught._

_The breaths in his lungs were becoming labored as he pushed himself even further, feeling his lungs near to collapse from the effort._

_"Please! Please, let me find the end!"_

_Then, he saw it. His saving Grace, the penultimate ending to this struggle. A piercing white light was far in the distance, quite some time away but he would reach it soon. He gasped for air and pushes even harder, trying not to show his fear as he escaped the nameless creature chasing him into the void._

_"I'll make it! I will make it!"_

*************************

Time seemed to pass by so slowly for the seal hunting couple, as Kai's information proved more than a little dodgy. True, there were traces of humans in this corridor, but they were hours late to the party. Aoi sighed, putting a hand on his hip as they searched the floor again to no avail. They even went to the first floor, still finding nothing anywhere. Hence their return to this floor.

"Honestly," he complains as Uruha joined him from looking into another empty patient room for the hundredth time. "Why do I keep that damn angel around? Giving me info from hours ago is such a direct violation of our guidelines. Whatever happened to efficiency in this place..."

There goes his attitude again. Drama drama drama. 

"Why do you keep any of them around?" Uruha tests him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders to stave off the cold. He knew the answer already, he just wanted to know what Aoi thought about all of this. 

"Tch, I keep them around because they get their work done, even if it's late," he grumbled and kicked a random piece of plaster that seemed to fall off the wall or ceilings. "Besides, they're a part of my team. Having power over them is a nice feeling even if they test me sometimes."

'Psh, liar,' Uruha thought with a sly grin to himself. Aoi didn't know it, but Uruha already could tell that this group of misfits was like a family to him. A weird, murderous and blood thirsty family. 

"We should get back," he mumbled in response. Aoi wanted to argue since they hadn't even found his seal, but Uruha beat him to it.  "I know, you want to find it. But Jimin will be waiting for us, it's been about two hours. There is no one  _here_ , Yuu."

He stared at the raven, fully intending to argue with him. But imagine his surprise when the raven just let out a deep breath before making a grossed out face and clawing dramatically at his eyes. 

"Ugh, I can't believe a human is able to affect me so much," he said in a joking manner. "Am I actually in a position to be bossed around by you now? What have I done?"

Uruha swallowed, feeling the praise go straight to his head. Was this how Most Marks progressed? The fear turned into an indirect power play between them, the control of the relationship alternating randomly. Now, he knew the control was in his own hands. And Aoi was giving it to him willingly. 

He could get used to this...

"You allowed me to bury myself deep into your brain," he answers, slowly walking to Aoi with a barely there smile of smugness. "You let me run wild, and in response, you could not stop me from hooking my claws into your body. This Mark is only letting me stake my claim on you even if I don't realize it. Your name is only the beginning, Yuu. So come on, let's go."

He stops just a foot away from Aoi, putting his hand on his elbow, intending to pull him away. The raven is staring at him, a glossed over look in his eyes. The brunette can feel a pleasant tingling in his stomach, probably from how Aoi was feeling in response to his challenge. 

"You sure are greedy," Aoi chuckled darkly, though one could tell he wasn't even close to being annoyed by his tone. "Though I guess that's somewhat my fault."

He liked it, he realizes almost seconds too late. Aoi likes being bossed around by him. Maybe not by his brothers, but by Uruha only. It was a change from always being the one on top, so feeling like he was finally being challenged gave him a thrill. And considering that he could not even hurt his Marked only fueled that further. 

This was sure to be interesting. 

Uruha was about to retort when a sudden noise catches their attention. It's a loud crashing sound coming from the room they left Jimin in. Both share a worried look before rushing off to investigate. Uruha throws open the door to find a worrisome predicament. 

Jimin was pressed up against the far wall away from the portal, on his knees with a seemingly unconscious body in his lap. Soft silvery hair and an oversized red button down shirt were the only indicators of his identity. He too was transparent, just like Jimin was. 

"Jimin! Are you okay? What happened?" 

The blonde was frozen in shock, staring down at the person in his lap with wide eyes. 

"I...I was just... Sitting here and then... he..." He trailed off and shook off the shock as he rolled the person onto his back. Then he started murmuring softly in Korean, so naturally, none of them understood him. All Uruha could catch was a name. Taehyung. Taehyung? Was this the one they called here? 

Aoi walked only a few steps forward before the portal shudders violently and the red light turns a blinding white. The demon froze in place, feeling a dark energy emerging from the portal. 

"Oh shit," was all he managed to mumble before a dark cloud pulsed out of the portal, a shrieking noise accompanying the torrid of energy. Aoi had to clutch Uruha to his chest and shield the helpless spirits from the onslaught of noise. 

Then it stopped. But the dark energy lingered like a depressing cloud. Aoi knew that energy anywhere. Not good, not good at all. 

He frowned and looked back at the portal, feeling his whole body seize up with alarm. Two more people were there, and their energy gave away everything he needed to know. 

One was tall with messy brown hair and an expensive looking black suit. The other was only slightly shorter but still had that same feeling about him. His hair was a silvery color, almost blue in hue. Both had menacing auras and looks on their faces that showed they definitely meant business. 

Aoi grimaces and stands up tall to not back down from the obvious challenge, his earlier playful mood long gone in the face of the new threat. 

"Fourth Levels."

Just fucking _great_.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHO GUESS WHO :D


	26. Dilemma - Fourth Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am loving these new characters. I never wrote them before, so they might seem a tad OOC.

Tensions were palpable, enough to feel like electricity on the surface of your skin. Like someone took balloons charged with static and pressed them all over you, and it felt like they were red hot needles stabbing into you.

The two demons sized Aoi up in their heads, making the raven narrow his eyes. How did this happen? This was just supposed to be a simple spirit summoning, not a demon summoning. Something clearly went wrong as that spirit got here. Demonic attachments during a spirit crossing were a rare but serious bit of business.

"Who are you?" He hissed at them. "What are undocumented fourth levels doing here?"

The shorter of the two swept his hair back in a smug and clearly overconfident flourish and pinned heavy black lined eyes onto Aoi, then to the spirits behind him. Something about him seemed... terribly ominous.

"I see," he begins, a thick accent much like Jimin's falling through as a mid-toned rasp. "So this place is infested with third levels. I'm not surprised, given your freedom. But I think we can deal. Don't you think, Jungkook-san?"

The taller of the two smirks, his styled up hair making him seem like he was far more experienced than he probably was. Aoi could feel the uneasy energy under all the testosterone fueled arrogance.

"You followed a good trail, Suga," comes a strained response that was then followed by something in Korean. So his name was Jungkook and the other was Suga huh. Like Aoi could care.

"You didn't answer the question," he once again snaps, making even the frozen in place Uruha wince. Jimin is far too busy shaking Taehyung to care about the obvious danger.

The danger that these demons had no trouble causing it seemed, as they both started to strut around the room as if they owned the place. Aoi inwardly cursed his seals to hell and back, knowing that even with his status, his own power was barely above their own.

"We followed a tasty trail while traveling between our world and this one," the blue headed one answers, his smirk never leaving his face. "And it seems to have led us to a very delicious looking buffet. Don't you think Kookie?"

Uruha noticed the blue headed one staring at something behind him, only noticing too late that Jimin and his friend were the sources of the unwanted attention. That can't be good.

_'Uh oh.'_

"Oh yes," the brunette chuckles as he too trains his eyes on the hapless spirits. "Very tasty."

Now realizing their intentions Aoi stood up as straight as he could, eyes hard as steel.

"They're under my protection," he snarls in an authoritative tone. "Back off. Now."

Both demons were surprised but it only showed for a few brief seconds in the form of quirked eyebrows and a brief glance.

"Really now," Suga answered. "Two human spirits under the protection of a third level? How unbecoming of someone with your status. And I thought the second levels were petty."

Aoi didn't answer, Instead, he took a small risk and turns his back to look at Uruha.

'Go,' he mouthed quietly. 'Now. I'll handle this.'

Uruha wants to argue but his Marker turns back around to face the new threat to attempt displaying his power by pushing their attention away from the vulnerable trio to himself.

"You're in no position to be here," he once again grunted in his best angry voice. "This place is already infested by both third and seventh levels. We don't need any fourths ruining the already delicate balance. Leave, now."

"I'm afraid that's not possible," Suga states matter of factly, feigning disappointment. "You know how we work, third level. Once we latch onto an energy, that energy becomes like fuel, and we need to suck up as much as we can until we're satisfied. And right now, the energy coming from those spirits is... just, too tasty to ignore."

Now realizing he was the reason for alarm, Jimin trembled, not looking up at the intruders for fear of his safety.  They continued bickering and he covered his ears.

"What do we do?" The blonde whispered in a scared tone, still watching the face of his dear friend. "I can't leave him here. I barely got him back!"

He knew that. But they had to do something. Jimin wasn't safe here, as he was clearly a new target.

"I'll figure something out," he answered and looks around. Then he saw the door was still wide open, probably due to the violent energy from the now disappearing portal. "Can you carry him? Even a short way?"

Jimin is scared but manages a small nod, biting his lip. Since they were both spirits they could interact with one another. But Uruha was still alive, so he could not.

"If it means getting away, then yes."

He managed to bring Taehyung into his arms and with shaky legs starts to lift him up.

" **Where** **are** **you two going, hmm?"**

A sudden voice in his own tongue makes him freeze and almost drop the precious body in his arms. He swallowed, feeling a thick pressure in his stomach from the way the voice made him feel. It was thick with interest and a twisted curiosity bids him to turn around. He came face to face with the smaller demon, his blue hair and deep piercing eyes seeking something inside his body.

Everything froze. Their eyes met and he felt all his breath leave his lungs. A Mark was imprinted on the underside of his strong jaw, resembling a small bird. It was in a circle and the usual pentagram behind it.

This man was dangerous but... Jimin couldn't stop the thoughts entering his brain. He was so... so...  _beautiful_.

He took a moment to recover, realizing he was staring far too long. Even Uruha seemed to be frozen in place, watching their exchange nervously.

**"Um... I-I just...** **I** **was..."**

Just being near this man made him feel as though he was being suffocated, like he could not breathe in a single bit of oxygen. Not like he had to, it just made him feel alive more than he was. Yet here was a complete stranger threatening to take that away. But not... in a bad way? It felt like someone was piling too many dryer fresh blankets on top of him, making him feel warm but in turn cutting off his air.

Yet the man seemed unaffected, his cheeks crinkling with his smirk.

**"Nervous?** **That's** **okay, you** **'ll** **get over that.** **What's** **wrong with** **your** **friend there? He was just fine a moment ago."**

He was playing with him, using certain tactics to elicit a response. And it seemed to be working, as Jimin huffed and held Taehyung close. The spell from earlier wore off and he remembered who he was dealing with here. He walked backward, farther away from the oppressive atmosphere. In turn, he was followed by two pairs of deep blue eyes that seemed to burn into his brain.

" **Coming out of that portal injured him,"**  he answered in his best indignant voice.  **"Probably because you guys** **latched** **onto him and drained his energy.** **I'm** **taking** **him away from here, away** **from** **you."**

It was crazy, talking back to a demon like this. But he was not going to let some crazy demons push him around.

Suga rose an eyebrow at him, not expecting such a fierce response. Normally by now, people would be on their hands and knees groveling, begging for mercy. But this boy... was something new and interesting.

Even Jungkook had to lift his eyebrows, clearly expecting what Suga was expecting.

"Leave them alone," Uruha snaps and puts himself between the pair, effectively cutting off the energy sparking between them. "Like Aoi said, you can't hurt them."

At his name, Suga turned to face the raven, surprised. Jimin heaved a sigh of relief.

"Aoi?" He asks,  now in Japanese. "That Aoi? The one infamous in hell for leveling entire towns just because of some form of PMS? What is someone like you doing in the human world? And in such a dreary place like this?"

The raven snorts, crossing his arms.

"Unforeseen circumstances," is all Aoi answers. "I know there are more of you, fourth levels travel in packs just like thirds. I hope they don't pop up like weeds soon or I will be angry."

Jungkook laughs, a deep sound that rattled Uruha's nerves.

"Don't worry, we are the only ones around," he says. "It is true, there are two more of us. But they're busy doing their jobs. We just happened upon this place but I don't think Suga here has any intention of sharing."

As he spoke the smaller demon shrugs, his arrogant attitude really starting to rub Aoi the wrong way.

"So we're really only here because of them," he answered with a quick look at the spirits. "We fourths feed off of pure energy like theirs, it's hard not to give it all our attention."

Jimin shivered, the pressure increasing a great deal. They wanted his energy, but why? He was dead, he was just a lost soul doomed to roam without a body forever. He felt insignificant, yet these demons were insistent.

"I don't mean to be rude," Uruha snaps in a sudden fit of anger. "But we should be going. If they are gonna be here, I'm leaving. Come on Jimin."

The blonde nods, eager to leave the presence of such intimidating people. But he was once again surprised as his own tongue floated over to him, making his legs shake.

**"Wait. I need to know your name, my dear sunshine."**

He turned, and looking at the demon straight in the eyes, he was ready to say that it was none of his business. But when Suga gave a surprising smile that showed perfect white teeth and the pink of his gums, Jimin could feel his resolve to be irritating steadily waning away. And... Did he just call him sunshine?

 **"It's... Jimin,"** he answered, now blushing, his cheeks pink as if he was alive. He was practically radiating light even in his spirit form.  **"Park Jimin."**

Then Uruha is leading him outside, away from the jaw-dropping and unnatural handsomeness of the scary demon. Jimin is a shaking mess, ready to lose himself in hysterics. It takes all of Uruha's comforting skills to keep him calm until they finally find an empty room with one single patient's bed, and he lays Taehyung down so he can rest. 

"It's a good thing spirits can interact with physical objects," Jimin sighed and sat beside him. "Just not with living people."

Uruha had to agree. The poor kid would have to sleep on the floor if that was not possible. 

Once they were gone Aoi cursed under his breath and forced the attention back to himself. Suga and Jungkook watched them leave with hungry gazes, their pride the only thing keeping them from chasing after such delectable energy.

"Like I stated before. Those two are not to be harmed. If I have to I'll exorcise you two right here and now."

The threat was not at all vague, but he was not here to play around. Protecting Uruha was a priority here, and that meant protecting his friends as well. Even if it made him feel just a tad jealous.

Suga and Jungkook once more shared meaningful glances and said a few things in their own tongue that he could only assume was about him. Or at least about the spirits. The taller demon then just began to walk around the room, inspecting it closely.

"Do not make such empty threats," Suga warns with a smiling facade. "You may be a third level but it's obvious that you used your Mark on that boy already, and you have seals scattered about the place. You're weak, and you know it. Yet you continue to make such bold statements. Do not worry yourself, we don't hurt the ones we desire after. No, more like we are seeking a deal."

"A deal?" Aoi snorts. "What sort of deal?"

Suga smirked his usual smirk and lets his eyes travel to the ceiling.

"I can see the way you look at that boy you Marked. You're clearly possessive of him, and making room for his friends only seems to be stressing you out. Why don't you let us handle it? We can protect them for you, and you can give all your attention to your lovely human. Sound good?"

Aoi paused, taken aback. What was happening?

"And what to the innocent get out of this?" 

Jimin and Taehyung were clearly the only innocent ones here, considering they died for nothing but greed. The greed of a sinful human. 

Suga smiled again, but unlike the one for Jimin, this one was eager and didn't hide the animalistic desire burning in his eyes. 

"We can give them something you third level demons can't, as per our own unique abilities," he continues and Aoi could almost envision a bout of drool dripping down their faces from the hungry gazes in their eyes. "We can give them physical forms, something I am sure that they are desperate to feel again. No more lurking around as empty spirits, they can feel warmth, pleasure, and pain. They can feel  _alive_. So let us do this. It will take off a lot of your stress and in turn, give us something useful to do."

Aoi considered it seriously for a moment, letting the words mull in his brain. It was true, fourth Levels were usually known for being merciful and giving spirits a second chance. Even if their ways were a little... unorthodox. That second chance came in the form of greed, as the ones they brought back were Marked immediately after and made into lifelong partners. Just like normal Marked Humans, except they actually had a choice in the matter. That's what separated their classes, they had just a tad more mercy. 

"Hmm, and if they don't agree?" he asks, staring Suga down with a challenge filled stare. 

"Give us two weeks," Jungkook piped up from where he stood near the Hydrotherapy Pumps. "If they don't agree to be with us in the next two weeks, then we will leave." 

Suga agreed with a nod, crossing his arms behind his back. 

"Though we usually only need a few days. Not a lot of people are known to resist," he added with a chuckle. "Still, if they don't accept us, we will accept defeat and leave them alone. It will be... Somewhat humiliating but we won't come back. And we will leave you alone."

Again, Aoi mulled over the options seriously. Uruha won't be happy with him should he discover that Aoi was more than willing to give up his friends to more demons so easily. But could he be blamed here? Those spirits were just kind of in the way, soaking up more of the Brunette's attention than they needed to. 

Besides, it wasn't really his place to say whether or not the spirits agreed. All he had to do was let this all play out as it went. He didn't have to lift a finger for them. Just for himself and Uruha. 

It was risky, but he had been known for taking even bigger risks in the past after all.

"So?" the taller of the two urges. "Do we have a deal?"

Aoi sighed and mustered up what patience he had left. 

"That is for them to decide, not me," he finally says. "Uruha insisted on helping the kid find his friend and I did, and now that I have, I have little to do with them except their safety. But if they accept you it means I won't be able to protect them. So you can't do anything to harm them."

His indifference is all the two demons need, and ear-splitting grins cross their faces in the first display of true demonic nature he had seen from them all while they were here. They walked around him to the door, intent on following after the two spirits.

"Perfect. You are doing them a favor here, trust me." 

Then behind them the portal finally closed up, leaving behind the messy remains of the pentagram. The piece of paper was nowhere in sight. Aoi could only hope that whatever he had just done, Uruha won't hate him for it. That was something he could not handle. 

Letting his shoulders slump tiredly he went after his Human, more than ready to just keep looking for his seal now that his power was being threatened. At this point, he would be lucky if they got into a fight and he won. If he gets this next seal back, a victory in a fight is pretty much guaranteed. He wasn't taking any chances. 

***************

Finding them and taking them back to the third floor was easier said than done. Jimin was a nervous wreck, looking behind themselves every few seconds as he carried Taehyung up the stairs. Suga and Jungkook disappeared, but it was as if he could feel them staring holes into his back, watching his every move to search for weaknesses. What was their deal? How did they manage to catch Tae's trail and follow him here? It was as though they were just waiting patiently for prey to come along.

It wasn't Tae's fault. It was no one's fault, just a terrible accident. Now he was more nervous than before. Who knows when they were gonna come back? 

"You can stay in the room across from us for now," Aoi said blankly as he led the way, still looking around for danger. "But I have plans, so we'll put a maid in charge of guarding your room. She'll have to mark it if you want to keep them out."

"What about Tae?" Jimin asked with a hint of fear. Aoi just shrugs as though it was normal.

"He's portal lagged, and some of his energy was used by those two  _parasites_. He just needs to rest for a few hours and he'll be as good as new."

Jimin wants to argue some more, but at Uruha's worried look he keeps quiet. SIghing he just holds his friend closer and nuzzled his forehead. Despite all the stress and agonizing waiting, at least he got his friend back. That was all that mattered right now. 

"Then... that's okay, she doesn't have to Mark our door," he answered. "I know I'll have to confront them sooner or later."

Uruha nodded and with one last worried glance he lets Aoi put an arm around his waist. It was a small comfort that he allowed himself in times like this. And Jimin could relate because he too was finding comfort in his friend right now. 

 _'I knew I would see you again,_ ' he thinks to himself.  _'I made a promise and I kept it. Now you just have to keep yours.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments keep the bunnies happy!


	27. Something Borrowed - Fourth Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now to our second main couple!

******Normal POV**

Brianna had spent most of the day alone, entertained mostly by Umi or the other maids. She was surprised by how many times they could play cards together before she got bored, and the maids had other things to do so it wasn't like they could stay long anyway.

Currently, at the behest of Aoi and Ruki, they were cleaning out the last room across from hers so they could hoard the only other firepit in this place. So they were all busy, too busy to deal with a bored human...

Another bored sigh.

Ruki had gone missing again, as was usual. But she was getting anxious. It was nearing nine at night and he still wasn't back. Was something holding him up? A seal maybe? He did say that he was intent on finding the new one soon. Something about "finally being able to stand up for himself" or something of that nature. What did that mean...

There had been a bit of commotion earlier. Uruha and Aoi got the room between this one and their own ready but Brianna could not even see anyone, yet they spoke to the air as though it were completely normal behavior. Again, It was probably their new ghost friend she could not see. What was his name again... ah, names were evading her right now. Hopefully, he would come by soon and explain it to her.

There was only so many times she could walk back and forth to her room and the front room before feeling like she would die of the absolute boredom. By now, she had started to memorize how many steps it would take to reach the front door, then back to the end of the hallway near her room, then to the door of the bathroom. And then back again, like a giant circle. Less than a hundred altogether.

Her breath fell into place with every second step, numbering less than fifty or so. Occasionally a sigh mirroring her boredom would slip out, messing up the rhythm. But this was easily replaced with more. She counted the old bricks in the walls, memorizing the nicks in their surfaces or the small holes between them. One of them, near her room, had a deep scar that resembled something like a snake.

Maybe it was weird for her to do stuff like this, but what else was she to do? It wasn't like she could just waltz around the place as though it belonged to her. With the demons and spirits prowling about, it was like literal suicide. As though someone might as well hang a big neon flashing sign on her back that said  **fresh meat** for all the predators to see.

Without Umi or her Marker with her, she was as helpless as a newborn in the woods.

Speaking of which, she hadn't seen her handmaiden in a little while. It was nearing the time she usually went to bed, and she was supposed to get a new bottle of her suppressants. They only came in batches of ten for some reason, and she already took three so far. At this rate, those pesky feelings from before would come knocking again and that scared her more then the demons walking around outside. 

Brianna hadn't noticed that she was wandering in circles by the rooms until she noticed the sound of someone rushing into the door of their little bubble, and the sound took her off guard. At first, the noise spooks her and raises all her alarms, but she relaxed as she recognizes Umi's soft and delicate heels clicking on the worn floor. She comes into the hallway with the rooms and seems to be in somewhat of a rush. 

"Umi," she called, as the woman seemed to be searching for someone. "Are you okay?" 

"Ah! There you are, dear," her handmaiden chirped with relief. "Come with me, Ruki wishes to see you in the front of the building. You should put on something nice."

Wait wait wait. What the heck was happening? She splutters as Umi ushered her back into her room with little to no explanation. Was Ruki really behind all of this? 

"W-wait, I don't understand-"

"You don't have to," Umi said as the door to her room was closed and the woman was rushing around to find her decent clothes. "I know you already cleaned up, so you don't have to wear anything too fancy. He just wants to show you something, it won't even take an hour."

Didn't this also feel like a disaster waiting to happen?? Ruki asking to see her in a place not even remotely safe? 

"Aren't there things out there that want to kill me?" She says skeptically.

"Its okay," she assured and finds a pastel blue jumper in the folds of clothes in the closet. "He got another seal out of the way."

That gets Brianna's attention and she perks up at the news.

"Oh, did he... what is it this time?"

She had learned that with each seal broken, there was a new thing that Ruki was capable of doing in terms of his abilities, but each one was different.  

"The last one gave him back a good amount of his strength, so he is on par with Aoi as of now. As for this one, he wants to show you that himself. It's a surprise."

A surprise... Well, when it came to Ruki, there was no telling what he was up to. Why would he want to keep this a secret? 

"Ah, well I suppose so," she finally relents when Umi one too subtly starts to tug at the clothes she was wearing. "Will you take me there? I don't have to go alone do I?"

"Of course not. Actually, it will be me and two other people."

Brianna shifts uncomfortably before sliding on the jumper. 

"Who? Does Ruki know them?" 

There weren't many people that would willingly come around here besides demons, who would Ruki even trust? His brothers didn't count, Aoi and Reita seemed to hate her, and Kai wasn't around here enough for her to form an opinion about him. 

"No, but they will not harm you. I know them well, we used to run around together a lot back in Hell. Gentle souls amongst demons, if you will. Both are Fifth levels."

Fifth level... Meaning they were already stronger than the ones that were potentially a threat to all of them. But if he was okay, then she should not worry, right? 

"Well, that's fine, I guess. Marked?" 

"Yes. It is hard not to notice, but you'll see. Let's go?"

Brianna finally managed to muster up her courage to follow Umi to the front door, where a particular pair were waiting for them. A tall boy with pink hair and white eyeliner and closed eyes was next to a slightly smaller boy who had bright silver hair with flowers and pink makeup. Both wore dark black outfits akin to something from a heavy metal concert. Black leather corsets and tight black pants. Matching outfits? 

"Koichi-chan," Umi greets the tall pink haired boy. "Is he still in the front?" 

Brianna could see the pink haired boy turn his head eerily slow towards them. What she noticed right away was the all black piercing eyes that seemed to stare at her deeply, reaching into her soul. A shudder rippled through her, and the jumper was suddenly not a bad idea.

He only nodded and didn't say anything. But the smaller silver-haired one seemed to be his voice. They linked fingers and his bright blue and silver mismatched eyes sparkling with something supernatural.

"He's there. Hasn't really moved from where he was."

Her questioning stare attracts Umi's attention and she lovingly pats her shoulder. From there they all leave to go outside. She's still nervous but can feel that she is protected by these three people. Even if all of them were... demons. The hallway was now well furnished from when she last saw it. Paintings hung on the walls and a few candle holders were in place. The doors were closed and quiet, meaning the residents were not around. Thank Goodness. 

"So something you should know, Koichi can't talk with his own body. Meto here is his Mark, and also his means only for speech. Meto was once a demon, but for the sake of their Mark, he became a conduit instead."

Meto nodded along with everything that was said, not bothered by it. 

"Oh... So, Meto can't talk?" she asks. 

"He cannot," Umi answers. "The voice you hear is not his, but Koichi's. It's... complicated. I am sure Koichi can explain it better than I can."

Despite that, she wasn't sure she was ready to hear such a deep backstory from people she just met. 

"It's okay, they can let me know when they're ready. Right now... There is something more important on my mind."

Like how at the moment, her Marker was waiting for her for some reason. Wasn't this... something like an escort to some fancy date? The thought made her stomach flip with nerves that should have been buried a long time ago. 

Hopefully, her suppressants will last her through... whatever this was. 

"Of course. For now, we'll be your escorts. If you need anything else from us, you can let us now."

They were nice. It was a pleasant change from all the hostility she was around on a day to day basis. The deathly glared and silent wishes for her demise were beginning to get old after only four days.

"Whatever he is doing, I'm sure it will be with only the best of intentions," Koichi coos in a gentle tone. "I've never met him, but considering he was able to Mark such a delicate human, he must be nice. Or rather, a huge sadist with a sicko streak, but considering you're still alive, I doubt that to be the case."

"Wow thanks for the vote of confidence," she sighed and ignored the anxious thrill running in her blood. "He was nice so far and gave me nice clothes so I would not feel neglected. But I can't say much about his personality or social skills."

"Why?"

Koichi was the curious type. It was cute, in a weird sort of way. If demons could even be cute.

"Well, when he first Marked me he was aggressive, and threatened to kill me," she answered slowly. "But I know it was only because he was incredibly nervous. He has never Marked anyone before. So he panicked."

Koichi seemed rather... disturbed, as his calm placate expression turned to one of disgust. Even Meto in his usual mute state had the faintest whisper of anger on his face.

"Hm. I see," comes the disgruntled answer. "And he hasn't displayed such behavior since then?"

The remembrance of how Ruki treated Uruha made her feel a bubble of annoyance in her throat, and she grew frustrated.

"No, but not much has changed. He's incredibly jealous," she began quietly as they shuffled through the darkness of the stairwell that would lead to the main floor. "I only have one other friend here, a human named Uruha. He helped me, and after I was forced into a therapy session he helped me regain my sanity. But Ruki, he... He hates him. I can't understand it but, in his mind, humans don't need to be together since we can't Mark each other. And he said that he doesn't want us together. I cant spend my life isolated from other humans! We need each other to survive! He's just so... so... Selfish!"

She spat out the last part with a heavy breath, not realizing she stopped breathing just at the door of the stairwell until she felt her chest burning for oxygen. Umi was patting her back in circles, making her breathe better.

They ushered her into the main floor and had her lean onto the nearby wall. Brianna felt her head get fuzzy and she had to will away the irritation.

"Come on dear," she peeped. "That's it, hun. Breathe."

Her eyes stayed trained on the rough floor of the building, following the lines that ran through it so she could calm her nerves. It would be a long while before she would ever get over their bumpy beginnings. And she tries over and over again to see things from Ruki's standpoint.

But no matter how much she tries, it's difficult to see past the toxicity of his behavior, and no doubt about it, it was very meaningless to even try. It might be hard to get him out of such a state, but it will be a long time coming.

"I'm sorry, I'm okay. Just... give me a moment. Where is he?"

Koichi looked perplexed and his darkened eyes swept around the deserted building. No one was in here but them, so Ruki had to be outside.

"More than likely, he is awaiting your arrival in front of the entrance. I suggest keeping your thoughts to yourself if his tsundere streak is as bad as you say it is, and go to him quickly. Third levels are not exactly known for their patience."

Oh, she knew that. She knew that well, now better than anyone. Well, maybe not better than Uruha since Aoi was just as aggressive if not more so, but she digresses.

Heavily panting, she finally collects her frenzied thoughts and manages to gain back her sanity after the small breakdown.

"I'll be okay," she tells Umi. "I can handle this, knowing he won't hurt me is giving me some sense of safety."

It was kind of twisted in a way, knowing that the only reason that Ruki wasn't willing to kill her was his low-key obsession with her. No big deal.

'No big deal my ass,' she inwardly swore before finally going off alone to the large front doors. She wondered where he would be waiting. Probably just right outside... 

"We'll be going back now," Koichi called to her, to which she responds with a simple wave. She was too nervous to speak. Not nervous in the sense that this felt like a date. No, more along the lines of being unsure of how their new dynamic was going to work out. If what Aoi had said about Ruki courting her held any truth, then... then this could go either way. Either really good or really bad.

If she or Ruki wanted this to work out, then they had to cooperate. Didn't mean she had to like it though.

Still, if it meant survival...

Her thoughts were muddled as she pushed the doors open rather forcefully, still fired up. But her earlier fire seemed to fizzle out as she saw what was waiting for her in the courtyard.

"What... is this?"

Green. All she could see was green. What was once a dead landscape made of dead grass and cracked earth was now a lush field of colors and foliage. A literal maze of beautiful well-groomed hedges sprouted from the ground to make a complex labyrinth that sprawled all the way to the pond and even to the edges of the church. Flowers of all colors and shapes bloomed in the depths of the hedges, creating a patterned rainbow.

The maze didn't seem to have a definite shape and took up whatever space it could and only ended at the large gates that separated her from freedom and blocked off the view of the large pond that seemed to take up most of the space. Heck, there was even a small spot right near the entrance covered in pink flowers with a small marble table and matching chairs for three people. A hangout spot? At this time of night?

Was this a power that she hadn't seen because of his seals? If so then... She could not even imagine what else he was capable of when he got them all back. And this was what, only his fourth or fifth seal? She loses count after a while.

Brianna could feel wet tears welling in her eyes and a painful tugging in her chest. This was not at all  _normal_.

"Hey."

Ruki's voice was soft and low, so the sudden sound of it near her was not enough to spook her too badly. Just enough to make a small squeak leave her mouth. 

"Oh, sorry," he laughs and gains her attention. "I didn't mean to spook you. Are you okay? You look like you're about to cry."

Wiping her eyes, she huffed and made an irritated expression to hide her embarrassment. 

"I just think my allergies might be acting up."

Well, that was a big lie, she had no allergies... Still, he didn't seem like he wanted to push it and shrugs, a smile playing on his unusually pink lips. Also, did he dye his hair? It was like a... Silvery brown color now, and cut to his neck. he was also wearing glasses and a casual white blazer over a grey undershirt and black dress pants. 

"If you say so."  

Now it really did feel like a date. Why else would he be so dressed up? Now she felt severely underdressed.

Brianna sighed and looked back out onto the maze of flowers and hedges. Her heart was still hammering in her chest, not just from the small jump but from all of... this. His sudden streak of kindness, his lavish gifts. It's... Just so overwhelming. 

He was working harder, she could see that. But it would take a lot more than this. 

"What is all of this about?" 

Ruki smirks and started walking to that little spot with the chairs, expecting her to follow. She did so begrudgingly, but a small pang in her chest made her wince a little bit. Not even the sweater she wore could stave off the sudden insecurity.

"Oh, I just thought, you know, I would show you something nice in this place for once. I'm sure you can see that this doesn't just pop up overnight."

Her legs were kind of shaky right now, and she rubbed her makeup-free eyes as she followed Ruki to the small sitting area. 

"Obviously."

"So, I figured, why not show it off. I hope you can enjoy it here, even if for a little while. I know, these aren't the best circumstances right now for us, but... I am trying."

She looked around the closed off area, vaguely remembering that from here, normally, she could see both the small church and the little white house from here. Even the imposing mountains in the distance and nearby forest made her nervous. But now, the large flowered hedges were blocking the view. In a way, it kind of made her feel more... secure? If that made sense? Knowing that nothing that lurked in those trees could see her gave back her sense of safety. 

The only thing she was hoping was that he would not expect her to go in the maze at this time of night.

"I know," she said sincerely, her voice dropping an octave or two as Ruki offered her one of the smooth seats by the table. "And I know that you still have to try harder."

He smiled at her sassy attitude, and she had to look away to avoid looking at such a pleased face. A glass vase with a single pink rose in water sat in the middle, giving the overall area a feeling of warmth. A soft orange light filtered from a nearby light post, also new. 

Did he do this just for her? 

"Do you like it?"

He completely disregards her attitude, looking past it with a hopeful face. Brianna looked at the flowers around her and sighed. They were incredibly pretty and smelled really nice. But she didn't recognize any of the breeds. Maybe they were new types, or not even from here? 

"It's... a nice change," she admits slowly. "Did you do this? Umi told me you got a new seal out of the way."

The demon nods, leaning onto the table with his elbows and staring at nothing in particular past her head. 

"Mm, the fifth one to be exact. It's... kind of a relief. I feel like myself again, even though it's only five out of the ten."

A nearby flower petal responded to his voice and leaned it's petals more towards him, making him smile to himself. Brianna stared at him incredulously. Did he just make a flower move?

"So, what. You can manipulate plant life?" 

"Something like that. I can do the same thing any demon on my level can do. We are scouters for our faction, but we all can manipulate our surroundings in some way. Not animals though, only unliving things. I made these hedges to make an otherwise dreary place more... Uh, colorful. I'm sure I can now do anything I want. To an extent."

All right, now he was sounding a bit too overpowered... But what else should she even expect from a third level? Those seventh levels had nothing on him now, and he was only halfway done unlocking his seals. 

"Ah, I see... So what now?" 

She was curious. Now that it had come this far in only a few days, what was he going to do now? 

Ruki smiled at her, a gentle expression that made her chest feel painful. 

"Would you like me to tell you something?" he suddenly says off topic. 

"What something?" 

Her Marker was up to something, she could tell. Ruki had that impish smile on his face and played with the rose on the table.

"How I... How I got here. In this place. You already know how I became a demon, but I know you must be dying to know how I ended up here."

Brianna stiffened. Did she even deserve to know?

"Really? You don't mind telling me something that personal?"

Then before her eyes, it glowed a soft pink, and gold lines weaved themselves in and out of the petals. The most minute sprinkles of gold colored dust sprinkled off of the flower, falling to the table in an endearing but almost pathetic manner. Then he plucked it out of the vase and presented it to her, making her pulse speed up yet again. 

"If we're gonna be together, then it's good to know. And in return, I would like to know a lot more about you too."

Brianna takes the flower and briefly, their fingers brushed in the lightest of touches. She blushed and clutched the stem that was saturated with the gold flecks. Ruki was seriously freaking her out, but... Not in a bad way?

That was probably not a good sign. Not for her anyway. Ruki, on the other hand, looked more than pleased with himself. Well, might as well put yet another foot into this metaphorical grave. What would the harm be anyway? Maybe she could finally learn why he acted the way he did.

"Okay. It's gonna be sad, isn't it?" 

Ruki sighed ruefully, and for once their eyes connect and she saw something akin to melancholy. 

"You have no idea."

 

** TBC **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so everyone is aware, this is NOT a reituki story, their relationship is already in the past so now it's time for something different. Maybe we'll look at flashbacks sometime soon :D   
> (I'll finish THE NAMELESS SOON AND U CAN HAVE REITUKI THERE EHE)


	28. Something Given - Fourth Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FLASHBACK TIME :) (PS, if you can't handle Ruki being salty to Reita, I apologize in advance)
> 
> Also, cursing, vulgar language, and somewhat graphic imagery are clearly prerequisites to my flashbacks :v You're welcome

**RUKI POV**

There is a time that everyone goes through in their lives, no matter who they are. Humans. Demons. Angels. It doesn't matter, karma is a bitch to all of us. I guess I should have seen this coming, sort of. 

Aoi slipped up and now, all of us are paying the price for it. I guess this is our Karma for being careless.

We were supposed to leave fucking hours ago, but since he let it out that we were demons, a crazed bunch of doctors were able to catch us off guard and perform the Indoctrination ritual on us, a spell that very few people know about.

How a bunch of filthy humans from the middle of nowhere figured this out is seriously beyond me. Being trapped in a psych ward by psychotic cultist doctors and nurses is not exactly helping us out right now. The break up I just had with that fucking asshole of a blonde hadn't even crossed my mind. 

We would have easily been able to leave by now if we hadn't been trapped by our seals getting ripped out of us by some damn humans who have no idea what they're dealing with. Now, we have to look for them and it will probably take a fuck ton of precious time away from us. A time that could be spent doing our _actual jobs_.

" _Shit_ ," I cursed for the millionth time. "You screwed up, man. You seriously screwed up big time."

He just sneered at me, as if that would help us in this situation.

"Hey, if I had known that being here would put us in danger, I would not have brought us here in the first place. This was just supposed to be another simple purge the filth and burn the evidence mission with a much larger payout then we're used to," he growled at me and barked at Reita, who looked bored as he slumped against a dirty wall. "And you. I was expecting a better intel report from you on these humans, how did you not find out about the filthy cult that had managed to spread it's disgusting roots here?"

Reita's ugly face twisted into anger and he huffed angrily, crossing his arms. Really, he is choosing now to act like such a wretched child? 

"Fuck off," he snapped back. "I did my job like you asked. They must have hidden their intentions from the very beginning, as my undercover moles hadn't been able to sniff anything out. These humans have clearly done things like this before."

Is he seriously trying to make excuses for himself now? 

"You're so full of shit," I hissed. "Wow, what an amazing job you've done, _sweetie_. I wish I could say you were doing good, but I'd no sooner bite off my own tongue and choke to death on it than to force myself to spit up such lies."

I guess my venomous tone was too much for him as his face scrunched into a stony mask of indifference as he stared at me, an unknown emotion raging in his pitch black irises. 

"Too bad I can't say the same to you anymore, now can I? _Sweetie_?"

Ugh. How fucking dare he bring that up now. Can Aoi please just let me kill him already? I can't fucking take this anymore. I bared my teeth at him, snarling.

"Fuck. _You_."

"Sorry honey, not anymore."

"Knock it off," Aoi then hissed in a pissed tone. "Both of you. Now is not the time to be thinking about your now defunct and sexless relationship. Right now, if we don't do this right, our lives can be on the line. Now, shut the fuck up and do your fucking jobs or else there will be nothing left to argue about."

Fuck this. If he wants us to find a way out of this, then I'm fucking doing this without his help. I don't need this shit. 

"Fine, _God_. I'll think of a way to keep them back. If I was any stronger I could easily rip their spinal cords from their bodies in the blink of an eye, but seeing as how were no better than measly seventh levels we need to be fucking careful."

Aoi nodded as I spoke, thinking to himself.

"I'll be honest, I don't think we're getting out of this," he then said lowly under his breath, anger written across his features. "I can only think of one thing right now."

Oh great. So we're fucked.

"And what's that."

I'm sure the expression on my face was very evident of my internal turmoil. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, his eyes hardening. The sound of people shouting and pounding on the door was only getting louder. Soon it would not be long before they broke through.

"We still have some helpers on the outside," he says. "If we can be patient and wait a few years, then we can finally get out of here and go home. They'll continue to exist in their ranks and we'll give them a signal once the humans have become too lenient and think we're too soft to do anything."

"So just be sitting ducks?" Reita griped. "Fucking great plan man. Awesome."

I snorted.

"Oh what now, is the big bad wolf suddenly afraid of a few worthless meat sacks?"

He scoffed, his expression bored.

"Hmph, not really worthless if they were able to take our powers away, don't you think?"

"How did you two ever manage to stay together?" Aoi grumbled with disgust. "You're like an old divorced couple now or something."

Better divorced than unhappy. This current situation would pass and we would get over it soon enough. If we survive.

"He was a good fuck, what more can I say," I snapped angrily. "But I think after this, I'm taking a break from getting the dick. Now can we get back to the task at hand already?"

I saw a spark of anger ignite in his eyes from my periphery, and a small surge of pride welled up in my chest. Good, I hope that stung his pride.

Aoi waved that off, just as disgusted as before.

"All right all right. Look, we have to do this regardless of if we want to or not. The humans are smarter than I gave them credit for, and I take responsibility for this mess. Now, it is up to all of us to take care of, so this is how we're gonna do this. I managed to peek into the future by a few minutes and I know what we have to do. Those doors are gonna open, and they're gonna take us to the insane ward to keep us under scrutiny. We'll change into our human forms to catch them off guard.

"They'll put our helpers in charge of watching over us, unbeknownst to them of course, and they'll scare off any doctor that may try to 'help' us until the right vessel for our Powers comes along. We'll wait and when the time comes, they'll let us out and we can finally take the steps we need to in order to get our seals back. If we have to kill any humans, lives that are not innocent are now forfeit from now on. And if we can, we have to try and save the children here as well. Then we hunt down the rest of the humans who trapped us. Do we all agree? Well of course you do, I'm the boss here."

Aoi's ego was in full force yet again. It would be somewhat comical if it weren't for our predicament.

"Not like I can disagree," Reita muttered and stood up lazily. Just looking at him makes me want to punch him.

"Whatever," I answer. "Once I get my seals back, I'm going back to hell for three hundred years. Humans make me sick."

Aoi nodded, and I could see how stressed he was. Poor guy, if only he wasn't such an idiotic leader.

But idiotic or not, I made a pact to follow him through anything, no matter what. It was my job. And as his blood brother, I could not abandon him. And unfortunately, this includes Reita. I should have seen how badly our relationship would end. Maybe it would make all of this less painful.

"Time to become mortal," I sighed and pushed on my forehead to try and help my headache, feeling my weak human side overtake my own demonic side, my senses dulling and body growing weaker. The stab wound I received earlier on my side was all healed, but I felt a scar starting to form. It would no doubt ache for a while.

"You two don't have time to make up," Aoi huffed as the door was suddenly slammed into with a great force, almost breaking it off its hinges. "It sounds like they found a way to break in. It's been nice killing with you guys."

A spike in uncertainty makes me tense up as his voice slightly trembled, and the weakened wood door finally broke as the shiny head of a metal ax tore it to splinters. Reita too tensed up and grew incredibly anxious. From our previous Mark, I could still feel the remnants of what we had buried in my heart, and it stung.

But after I tore the Mark off of my chest, it was not as strong anymore. It was painful, yes, but as none of us are human, it won't kill us.

I need time. And maybe, this time in this place, surrounded by these humans and my blood brothers, this is exactly what I need.

The door broke down, and in came a flood of people dressed head to toe in black robes and white surgical masks. Their eyes, despite being human, were twisted with something mad and crazed, like their humanity had a been sucked out of them.

They were chanting the Indoctrination ritual again, but as humans, it no longer affected us as they came to us in droves. At first, I resisted, as I was as stubborn as ever.

But we put up little resistance because we were very outnumbered. They threw us into abandoned cells just as Aoi had said they would, and I caught a glimpse of him and Reita staring at me desperately as I was the first to be thrown into a room.

I felt them groping and grabbing at me like I was just some kind of science experiment. It felt disgusting. I felt violated. Yet, most of all, I felt something I hadn't felt in over a hundred years.  

A seal was put onto my room by one of them, and then it slammed closed.

I was actually _scared_.

**Three Years Later**

The day finally came. Three years of solitude and disgusting human food being forced into my body and I was finally able to get a taste of freedom. The many days of humans pestering me about what I knew as a demon and what I could do to give them power was all for nothing of course, but they still kept me locked up like an animal. They poked and prodded at me, made me feel like less of a person than I was. It was disgusting. Humans are disgusting.

And as a human I was weak, so what was I supposed to do?

I was let outside by one of my helpers in charge of keeping an eye on me, and she grew frustrated with the humans who had become too easy going with demons in their midst. She was loyal, and skilled in the art of deception. 

She told me one day when she let me out for my weekly 'breath of fresh air' that a new doctor was at the hospital. He was young and under the Guise of a Holy Man, and was a psychiatrist. He was the key to our escape. A fresh innocent soul in exchange for the many others trapped here. It was perfect.

"I will let you go outside with a Doctor's outfit to have a look at your surroundings so you can figure out what to do next," she told me that day. "There will be some patients outside, just avoid them. They're innocent, and will probably shy away from you if you approach them. No other doctor or nurse will know your face, their memories have been, uh... Modified. You can walk about as you please. Unfortunately, though, you will not be able to contact your brothers who are also locked up. You'll have to wait until the new doctor comes and Aoi can decide if he's worth it."

I had come to greatly respect her, despite Aoi's natural aversion to her. I guess it was mostly out of spite that I kept her around at first, but now I actually do enjoy her company. She is very helpful and reminds me every so often that my life could honestly be worse. 

"That's okay," I answered as she gave me my Disguise. "I'm not ready to see either of them yet, despite the three-year gap in time. I need some more time to myself."

She nodded at me and smooths out my collar, appraising my outfit. 

"Are you finally over your little spat with Reita-san?" she wonders quietly. I nod, more than ready to accept our separation. These years did indeed help me a lot. 

"Yes. I'm okay now. I just need to look forward and treat him as my teammate and blood brother in order to heal myself. What we had can never come back, so I won't try to have hope for anything beyond that."

Her expression showed me a side of her that no one else really sees, a soft human side. And this was the only time that it was not seen as a weakness. 

"I'm sure you'll be fine," she answers and finally lets me leave my room. "Maybe this whole fiasco was something you all needed to finally break away from your troubled pasts and find something beautiful to look forward to."

If only she knew then how right she would be. 

Humans are more like monsters when left unchecked, and the innocents who are left under their care can become little more than poor sad shells of themselves. So when I stepped outside into the courtyard to survey the ones left here in this hellish landscape, I saw her. A perfect example of a victim in a disgusting world full of monsters. And all the sadness that was inside of me seemed to dissipate. 

I have to save her. I have to save _us_.

/////////////////////////

**PRESENT TIME**

Brianna stared at Ruki with wide eyes, her breath hitching unevenly. 

Ruki had gone quiet, his eyes downcast as his head rests in his hand against the low table. He was deep in thought as was suspected. Something about this whole situation felt odd. Like something about him seemed... softer. More vulnerable in a way. It was somewhat endearing.

Still, there was something that was bugging her. He hadn't gone into depths about how they broke up, just how they got stuck. Call her nosy, but that was how she felt. There was this thing in her brain that was just eager to soak up whatever information she could and he wasn't helping by leaving that out. The melancholic silence was becoming too much to bear.

"So... how did you break up?"

It was best to add in the question after a considerable amount of unspoken silence. He smiled ruefully, and let his eyes meet hers for a brief but meaningful few seconds. Seconds that let her see a deeply hidden sadness.

"A story for another time," he answers and his hand on the table twitches. "But it's late. I don't want to keep you from getting some much-needed rest. I'm sure we will have more time to talk soon."

"But I'm not tired."

Her cheeks dust a soft pink before she stops herself and quickly looks away. Why did she do that? Was she so eager to stay and talk? That was unusual.

"I know. But I kind of am. I've had a rough night."

She ignores her embarrassment to look up again. He seemed pleased to know she wanted to stay and talk. Not like she would admit it though.

"Are you alright? You didn't get hurt nowhere?"

Ruki seemed genuinely surprised at the question but pleasantly so. Another smile replaces the smirk from before and he shakes his head.

"No. I got slashed at but I don't blame the guy who did it. Just some random demon, he wasn't much worth it."

Brianna grimaced, the thought of a random demon trying to hurt Ruki making her skin crawl. She knew she wouldn't feel it but... still. Just thinking about it was enough.

"Where did you find it? Not in the building right? You guys have been looking everywhere."

"Right," he agrees. "The forests have proven fruitful as of now. They're surprisingly teeming with little energy spikes here and there. It's honestly like a breeding ground out there but for portals. There's something going on, and the humans that trapped me can't be far off."

Oh, that's right. There were more humans out there somewhere, but they were the ones she didn't want to meet anytime soon.

"I wonder how they managed to stay hidden all this time from demons."

She sighed and leaned on the table in a similar fashion to Ruki.

"And... the poor kids," Ruki says quietly. "They're out there somewhere, I know it. I know they're still alive, I can feel their life threads still hanging on. But my powers are too weak for me to pinpoint them precisely."

Oh shit, that's right. She had almost forgotten completely about that. The orphans that were also living here. Surely, no one would hurt them, right?

She sat there thinking, so much so that a small pain began to collect in her temple. Great. Hissing she pressed a finger to her skull to alleviate the ache. The action caught his attention and he frowns.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I just... feel a headache coming on," she answered and tried to smile at him. "It's nothing a nap won't help."

Brianna was used to dealing with these things on her own. So she wasn't at all expecting a hand to find her arm and guide her to get feet, nor the way she accepted it so easily, leaning against Ruki for support. The pain was not that bad, just in a bad place right near her temple. He was cold but also warmer than the chilly night air around her, so it gave her some sense of feeling grounded.

Fire burned in her cheeks, making her drop her head. They were silent for the majority of the walk, and thankfully he was able to keep her from falling down in the darkness where she couldn't see but he could. And keep her protected from the random demons walking around the building.

At the main door, she sucked in a breath to calm the raging turmoil bubbling in her chest but Ruki doesn't seem to notice at first.

"I'll help you to your room. I'm sure you're eager for a painkiller of some sort."

They stop at her door and he let go, if only after a few brief seconds as his fingers linger on the edge of her sweater. Almost as if to make sure she was really there. All around them was silence, so the others had to be busy looking around still.

"Yes... thanks. For everything. For telling me what you told me, even if you only just barely scratched the surface. It's enough right now."

A light dusty pink was still evident on her cheeks and she had to rub them to feel less embarrassed.

"That's no problem. It had to happen eventually. Good night, I'll send Umi with some tea and painkillers to help you."

Brianna nodded gratefully, ignoring the intense pounding in her ears. Ruki was being soft again; this only happened when she displayed some sort of weakness. And it worked like a god damn charm.

She dipped her head down again before stepping into her room, still a bit shook up from the events that just happened. Still, it was something to go off of now. This helped her to understand him more, even if only a little. But she was tired now despite saying she wasn't earlier. Human bodies are weird.

"Good night... I'll see you later."

Then her lips quirk into a gentle smile just as the door closes, and Ruki can feel pain bloom in his chest as the image of it burns into his brain.

'She... smiled at me,' he thinks and sighs, staring at the grains running down the door. 'Maybe I can really make this work.'

He turns and starts to walk away, but then Umi comes back at that moment and they briefly share a look. One of acknowledgment. Of something only the two of them know.

"Take care of her," he mumbles as she goes her head to him and stands near him by the door. "A smile is precious. I don't want her to lose hers. Don't give her any more of those pills. They're already starting to affect her. Please, Umi."

The woman bows her head, her familiar soft eyes hiding years of familiarity.

"I will. Ruki-san. And I know you'll do the same."

His hands are shaking and he has to stuff them into the pockets of his blazer.

"I'm trying my hardest. But I'll try harder."

He walks away then, knowing he still has a long way to go before he is ever fully accepted.

But it was okay. For her, he would do anything just to see her smile like that again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They will have more flashbacks soon!
> 
> Comments and kudos keep this story alive! ♡♡♡


	29. Something Given - End of First Week

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHA YES. NOW FOR MORE PLOT! :v I LIVE FOR BUILD-UP
> 
> TBH I have been feeling a little down, hence the reason why it took me so long to update. but I will try harder!   
> I do hope you enjoy this chapter :)

**** **Unknown POV**

_I'm_ _a different person. A different person with new needs and_ _different_ _intentions. But despite_ _all_ _of this,_ _I'm_ _still angry. Angry at being thrown away. Angry at being_ _replaced_ _._

_What am_ _I_ _supposed_ _to do in this situation? Be complacent? No. I_ _can't_ _. That is not something I have been programmed to do. I must act. I have to. To cure this rift in my heart,_ _I_  have  _to fill it. Whether with hate or something entirely different._

_I have to end this now. Or the_ _emptiness_ _will kill me._

_//////////_

There was something... different about Reita. Uruha could see it the moment he walked into the main room after being gone for almost a whole two days. And it wasn't even just the fact that now, his hair was completely dyed a different color. A dark ashy blue? Where did that come from...

No, it had to be the dark aura pulsing from his very presence. He was silent when Aoi gave him orders, and when they made eye contact it was like his eyes were hooded in darkness, showing no emotions whatsoever. It was scaring him if he was gonna be honest. Even Aoi was starting to notice a change.

No progress was being made regarding his own seals, Reita aside. If this continues, then their worst fear might be true. There might be no other seals in this building and he might have to go looking outside. Into the forest where countless other wild demons are prowling about looking for an easy target. Uruha does not even want to know how wild demons hunt. Aoi said it was not pretty. Just that was enough for him.

Right now, he was contemplating this with Uruha, Jimin, and Ruki in the living room. Brianna was feeling a bit under the weather, and everyone was starting to wonder if the cold weather had anything to do with it. Umi was waiting on hand and foot for her, making sure she was comfortable.

"What's the matter with him?" A confused Jimin asks as he lazily lounges on the floor in front of the fireplace. Reita has long since disappeared again, albeit in a storming off and slamming the door manner. Seriously, he was acting so strange.

"I don't know," Aoi responds. "It's like something is different about him. He's broken more seals than me, so I think he is almost done. Right now, if not for the fact that I'm the leader of our group and he hasn't disobeyed me yet, he could be planning an uprising."

Ruki's face twists into something akin to disappointment and disgust mixed together. It was quite... disheartening to see. Uruha frowned deeply, the hand on Aoi's arm tightening in response. It was obvious that a rift was forming in their relationship. What was once a tightknit brotherhood was quickly falling into little more than a small group of acquaintances. And despite not knowing them long, it was kind of... sad.

"I'm not surprised," Ruki says with a downwards stare at the floor. "He has always been like this, letting his emotions get in the way of the bigger picture that is right in front of his face. I think that's why we separated in the first place. It takes a special kind of ignorance to let this take control of your head like he does."

It was sad. Seeing him act like this seemed like nothing new to Aoi and Ruki. But only now was it turning into something serious. They were too accustomed to it. And now, it was seriously getting bad.

Jimin twisted into a normal position and made a face to show his distaste.

"You demons are so full of anger one moment and contempt for one another in the next, I'm seriously getting really bad whiplash."

Ruki smirked cynically, observing the spirit with a somewhat haughty attitude.

"I guess years of emotional turmoil at the hands if your supposed brothers tend to get to you. How long have you been dead now? A few years?"

Jimin scowls.

"Yep. I didn't exactly plan on dying and getting stuck in a place full of murderous blood thirsty demons eager to tear each other apart."

Oh, he was pretty snappy. His angelic looking face did not to flee the pure spite that seemed to keep him going.

Aoi cuts them both off with a somewhat aggressive clearing of his throat.

"Okay guys seriously, we need to figure this out. Reita is quickly on the way to becoming a threat to our inner group security. If what I'm thinking is correct, he is still hurt by what we've been doing and might lash out unexpectedly."

"So what are we supposed to do about him?" Uruha wonders.

"Anything that might further secure my position as the leader," his Marker responds. "Punishments. Discipline. Retraining. Anything along that. A demon uprising in a place like this would not be the best for us, any of us. Not Uruha, not Brianna. Not you either, spirit boy. Or your friend for that matter."

The mention of his friend makes Jimin a little melancholic, his once fiery disposition fizzling out in a sudden manner. How was the poor boy doing anyway? Uruha hadn't taken the time to check.

"Taehyung still hasn't woken up," Jimin admits softly, ignoring his new nickname. "I thought it would not be that long. He's a spirit like me, but I can feel him giving off a feverish vibe if that makes any sense. I'm worried he might stay like that for a while..."

That's right, ghosts can still get sick. If things are not solved, there was a high chance that Taehyung could go through a second death, which was a risk of his spiritual form fading into nothing but a memory. Permanently.

So if he wanted to be saved, there was only one thing that they really could do. And that was to consult their newest demon friends.

Aoi sighed, running his hand through his hair. Jimin won't like it, but they don't have much of a choice.

Sometimes he feels like a damn babysitter.

"Okay look. I'll have a friend look at his condition. If it's what I think it is, then there really is only one thing I can do for him right now."

Jimin looks up, confused.

"What? Will it help us?"

"Yes... and no. Yes because your friend will be okay. No, because... you have to be Marked by... a potential Demon partner. Both of you. I have the wanted pair in mind already."

The air grew shockingly silent, and no one dared to speak. Uruha grips onto his arm tight, feeling a deathly silence fall over their living room. Uruha had only been around Jimin for a few hours, but he had already learned that the kid was a total spitfire, completely in love with his freedom and frustrated at being stuck here. So he was expecting an immediate decline.

It seemed like what he had predicted was wrong, however, as in only a few moments time Jimin answered.

"You mean the demons that latched onto Tae as he came here, right?"

Aoi nods, sighing.

"I know that what they did was stressful. But sometimes it's the only way a demon can successfully leave the hell hole we all come from, literally. Even for a demon, hell isn't the best place to be if you're not in the top three castes."

Jimin is silent, contemplating. Those two demons were obviously putting him on edge. The thoughts of allowing himself to be Marked by one makes him shiver. But not in the way anyone would expect. Even now, he can see those dark eyes of the two demons staring at him subconsciously. The first one was the one who gave him the most heated one, the one in charge.

"And how will it help us?" 

"You'll be given physical bodies, and an ability to automatically heal yourself from all injuries. Whatever is plaguing your friend will be healed, but only if he agrees to it."

As much as Jimin hated to admit it out loud, he felt a desperate persuasive nagging in his head, trying to convince him of the possible outcomes of accepting the deal. 

'They'll protect us. Tae will be saved. If we do this, we don't have to feel like we're all alone.'

But also, there was a part of him that was strongly against the idea. 

'But who knows what they want from us? I don't want to be a slave my whole life! And Taehyung needs his freedom too!'

It was an internal struggle with warring sides of his brain, it was almost too much to handle. His face grew blank and he dropped his head in his hands. Sensing his discomfort, Uruha awkwardly pats him on the head. How do you comfort other people again...

"They already said they would be around for two weeks. You have that much time to decide," Aoi continues. "And in other words, they said themselves that it's up to you. Unlike a lot of other castes, thirds and fourths are a bit more lenient."

Two weeks... two weeks to decide if he wanted to give up his life for his best friend. Oh gosh, it was an impossible decision... if only Seokjin was here, he would know what to do.

With a lamenting sigh and a new added on a weight of melancholy, Jimin whined and floated up to his feet lazily, hanging his head in his dilemma.

"Ugh, I need time to think," he groans and floats with his feet dragging just above the floor to his and Taehyung's shared room.

"Will you be okay?" Uruha called to him.

"Who knows. I just need to be with Tae right now. If anyone needs me I'll be in my room."

"I'll send someone to check on him in a little while," Aoi called after he leaves and closed the door behind him. "Ah, now this is great.  A sick girl and a sick spirit."

Ruki scowled at the use of the word 'girl' so snobbishly said. As though it were just a nuisance.

"I'm sure she'll be fine soon," Uruha soothes. "Its just a small head cold. Umi said it should not be that bad."

At the name, a dainty voice carried into their small space and grew heads turned to see the aforementioned hand maiden standing at the entrance. She was smiling softly, a sly smile on her face. A towel was draped over her right arm with a bottle of human pain pills in the same arm. 

"Was I mentioned?" She hums softly. "I could swear I heard my name."

Ruki hops up to his feet and invited her in further. Acting a gentleman as usual. Uruha could not help but smile.

"Yes, yes please, come in," he ushered her, making room in the living room. "We were talking, and I know Aoi said you can figure out what kind of illnesses people have. Right?"

Umi briefly gives him a surprised glance. Was he really blabbing to other people?

"Yes..? What of it? It's no big deal, not when a common head cold is not hard to notice."

She was thinking it was about Brianna probably.

"No, it's not about that. We know Brianna will be fine. It's... about the spirit boy in the other room who has yet to wake up. O thought he was just portal lagged, but something else is wrong as well."

Her eyebrows quirked and she became thoughtful. Was she knowledgeable about spirits perhaps? It sure seemed like it.

"Ah, I see. I'll go have a look after I've checked on my Lady first. Ah, by the way, there were a couple of demons looking for them but didn't know where they were. They were not from around here, regionally speaking."

Aoi grimaced, knowing exactly who she was talking about. Despite disappearing, he was hearing whispers of them staking out the place over the last few days. Perhaps to get a feel for their new prison should anything arise.

"I know the pair of demons of which you speak. They're here by accident but there isn't much I can really do about them right now."

Umi just nodded, pressing down the always prominent yet clean apron across her light blue dress.

"I see. Then, I'll just let you handle them for now. If you'll excuse me, I have a sick girl to look after."

She gave a polite bow and immediately went off to Brianna's room.

"I'll come too," Ruki says and hopped to his feet. "Maybe I can help her in some way."

They disappeared, leaving the main two alone. It's a little quiet now, but it's a quiet both are used to at this point. Uruha can feel a kind of weird energy coming off of Aoi, and he gets nervous. It's a feeling he has felt before, and it's not a good feeling. A pit settled in his stomach and he swallows. Damn this Mark just didn't let him rest, did it?

The raven hasn't said much after they left, still sitting next to him quietly as his eyes stared unblinkingly at the fireplace in front of them.

What is he thinking?

"Aoi, you're doing it again," he mumbles, resting a hand on his leg. "You okay?"

Aoi seemed to take a few seconds to come back to reality, but when he does that strange energy lessens just a bit.

"Sorry. I'm just... wondering. About Reita. And how to deal with him. I think he and I need to have a few words and decide on if he is mentally fit to stay in our group or not. It will be a liability if he stays and his mental state continues to degrade. But without him, we'll have no scouter capable enough to take his place."

Ah, so that's why he is worried. With tensions as they are, Reita could become a liability and put their already fragile group in danger. And with no one to fill his spot, they won't be able to do their jobs right. Uruha bites his lip, worrying it with his teeth to the point of it becoming red. He didn't know much about how demon castes worked yet, but from the way Aoi looked so serious, it sounded like a really big deal. Even now, he could feel goosebumps on his arms from the anxiety coming off of him. 

"So... What do we do now? Continue looking?" 

The raven sighs, the tension tightening just a little bit more. 

"Guess so, though I have a feeling we won't just be confined to this building anymore. I have a weird urge to go and check at the old church, see if I can pick anything up on humans or more portals. That is if I can get past Ruki's annoying hedge maze."

So that meant going outside. Where there were demons prowling about everywhere. He knew it would come to this sooner or later. Sensing his discomfort Aoi, placed a hand over his on his leg. 

"It's okay. We'll do it when the sun is up, and demons can't get to us. For now, we should take care of one other problem." 

"And what problem is that?" 

The hallway is devoid of life save for the occasional maid here and there. When was the last time he had seen those other rogues anyway? He doesn't remember. And Tsuzuku had long since taken up residence on the fourth floor with Shinya to keep him company when Kai was not around. So that meant they saw less of each other as time went on. he would have to remedy that soon. He rather liked that odd guy.

"It's time we sought out those new friends of ours. They could help bear the new burden placed on all of us."

"Oh, I see. Then, I guess we don't have time to lose."

Just as they cross the threshold to the stairwell a new question comes to mind.  

"Do these rogues not like the sun?" 

"Hm, in a sense. They're not afraid of it, more like they're disturbed by it. Hindered in a way. As most shady creatures intent on wreaking havoc, they prefer the cover of darkness when doing their nasty deeds. If it were up to me, I would make a rule to capture all of them and either force them into a caste or get rid of them all together. Just so they can't touch anyone harmfully anymore."

Just the thought of a filthy rogue getting his or her hands on his human makes his blood boil murderously. Such violent feelings and thoughts project onto Uruha and the human grimaces. 

"Seriously? You're getting pissed again, cut it out. It's putting me on edge."

Damn, he had a snappy attitude. But the challenging words only serve to make Aoi smile to himself. He was getting bolder and bolder with every day and honestly? It was no secret that he loved every moment of it. If he didn't know any better, he would think that Uruha would make a formidable opponent if he were a demon. The idea of a fully demonic Uruha really got him excited.

"Sorry. Just thinking violent thoughts as usual. I'll try and tone it down."

Nodding, and with the bloodthirsty feelings dying down, Uruha spared a last glance behind them and down the hallway that they just came through. Besides the new windows and now warm air circulating through a once dark and eerie corridor, this place still gave him the utmost creeps. Maybe it was the knowledge of its new residents that made him uncomfortable. Or maybe it was the idea that at any moment, anyone could come back and see them in this very vulnerable state. Out in the open. With no real defenses outside of their little haven. 

"Let's go, I don't like being in here," he mumbles and latched onto Aoi's arm. He had no qualms about physical contact anymore. Knowing that resisting will ultimately kill you will do that to a person.

"Of course, dear."

He has no time to argue against the nickname as they enter the stairwell and subsequently leave the creepy hallway. It feels safer in here. Just as he thinks that he sneaks in one last glance backward, only to feel his heart stop and blood turn to ice as a small figure stood just at the end. The figure of a child. And it just smiles at him before disappearing into nothingness and the door closes.

 

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments keep my plot bunnies inspired! <33333333


	30. Bits and Pieces- Second Week

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FLUFF AND A SUDDEN REAPPEARANCE
> 
> ////////////////
> 
> I'm sorry for not updating sooner. My life is still a hectic mess so I need to find more time to write! But I hope you like this chapter!

"How are you feeling? Better I hope?"

The room felt really cozy and warm thanks to the fireplace being well fed. How did Umi find wood dry enough to burn considering the constant dampness outside? Well, if there's a will there is a way, as they say.

"Yes. I don't think being confined to one room is good for me though. Demons can't get sick... can they?"

She wasn't bedridden, she can walk around and feels just fine. Aside from a little stuffiness and a sore throat, it wasn't all bad. But Umi insists that Uruha didn't need to get sick either. She scowled in response and settled deeper into the couch. Did it feel softer than normal? Maybe it was the new pillows. But it was strangely comfy here. The peppermint and citrus tea in her hands also didn't hurt. It definitely helped the annoying stuffy feeling in her head.

"We don't get normal human sicknesses," Ruki offers and settled across from her in the feather down bed. "Instead, our ailments are far more serious. If a human would ever contract one, it would mean either instant insanity or instant, painful death."

Undeterred, she shifted to face him better.

"Example?"

He mirrored her earlier grimace and thoughtfully crossed his legs. It almost reminded her of that one snooty uptight teacher in high school she had. With that pair of fancy glasses perched on his nose, it wasn't hard to make a connection...

"Well... there's that one that affects our healing abilities, simply known as the Leech. Say a werewolf or other creature with a venomous bite or anger issues can somehow attack us, and our healing abilities are still normal. The resulting injuries will heal like nothing. However, get infected by this particularly deadly ailment and your energy gets sucked up, speeding up your Death. Then you'll be in agonizing pain and end up dead sooner than you can even blink. The cure is rare and hard to come by."

Her nose turned up, and she almost spits out the tea in her mouth. But he wasn't done and kept on going.

"Ah. Then there are our few versions of sexual diseases. If a succubus has too much of a good thing on her plate, she can become mind warped and turn into a vegetable. Same goes for incubi as well. And a normal demon like me can contract something called the Red Line, or a disease that turns us into a walking blood tap if an infected vampire bites us. Basically, you leak blood from your skin till you bleed to death. And then there is-"

"Okay," she exclaims with growing horror and stands up straight. "I think I have heard enough about that. Umi can you bring me more tea please?"

Somewhat stuck in place it takes a few seconds for the maid to snap out of her sudden state of shock at Ruki's graphic words. Demon illnesses are no joke.

"Uhh of course. I'll be right back. Please don't fill her head with more scary things, Ruki-san. It might slow down her recovery."

With one last shudder, Umi leaves them alone, taking the teacup Brianna had with her. All the while she is trying to wrap her head around the things he just told her. Did things like that really happen??

"I'm sorry, did I freak you out?" He asks quietly.

"No, I asked about it after all. It's just... I'm just trying to not envision it in my head."

True, the image of Ruki bleeding to death or becoming little more than a helpless vegetable stuck in a wheelchair scared her more than anything. It won't happen anytime soon. Right?

"It's okay. Baby steps. If you want to know more I can get you more books to read. I'm sure the few we have are just human books and that's not interesting at all."

"Really?" She asks with a sore throat, eyes brightening. "You'd get me more books to read?"

If there was anything she likes for do here when not slowed down by a cold, it was reading. But the few books she did have were indeed all human-related and therefore know that wasn't that important to her as of now.

"Of course. Anything to speed up your recovery," he adds with a gentle smile. Her face twitches with warmth and she can't help but mirror the gesture back at him. Unknowingly, she causes just a small stab of pain in his chest, and it becomes difficult for him to keep the expression still.

But he knows there was one other reason he was here. He needed to talk to her seriously.

"Also... there is something I have been meaning to talk to you about," he sighs and clears his throat. "Something really important."

Her smile drifts away and is replaced with confusion. Why is she feeling his apprehension? What did the heck happen to the affects of her suppressants?

"Yes..?"

He had been tempted to slack off, to let her live as she wanted. But to do that would only hurt her more than necessary. No, he needed to do this before it was too late. Sighing and rubbing his face, he finally swallowed down his fears and stared at her seriously, his face a mask of worry and concern.

"I know you're taking suppressants," Ruki says finally. "And I want you to know that I'm worried about you."

There was that apprehension, this time he could feel it in her. She was nervous and the knowledge that he knew was taking her by surprise. How did he know? Did someone tell him? She hadn't meant for him to find out so quickly...

"How..."

She can't continue, still surprised. He might as well tell her the truth.

"I can feel it. Your cold is no ordinary cold," he answered. "It's caused by the suppressants. It's making your body vulnerable to illnesses that otherwise would not have gotten to you. It's making you unable to feel what I can feel."

She stared at him in shock, wide eyed. Did... the suppressants really cause all of this? In her rush she wanted to be cut off of her feelings but in turn it made her more likely to be sick?

"How did you know?" She asks. "Did someone tell you?"

Umi wouldn't give her away would she?

"No one. I knew right away. Look."

Ruki surprised her once more by lifting one of his arms and pinching it, hard. He grimaced in pain but she didn't feel anything. Well, she did feel a small but barely there ache in the same spot. Not nearly enough to make her flinch in pain. That was all the answer he needed. So he figured it out like this? Had he been secretly hurting himself around her to find out?

"I... I'm..."

Sorry, she wanted to say. But how was she supposed to do that, especially now? 'I'm sorry I've been cutting our connection apart?' Like that would ever help the guilt now settling deep in her chest. Instead she blurted out something different.

"I'm... scared."

Brianna was really terrified. If she allowed herself to feel their connection, she would only hurt even more. If he got seriously injured, she would feel all of it and that scared her to death. Even the hydrotherapy session less than a week ago still echoed in her mind but even that would be as nothing.

Ruki could sense that she was panicking and immediately went to her side, taking her hands in his and soothing her with gentle noises and pets to her hands.

"Shh, it's okay," he coos softly. "It's all okay."

She breathed heavily, feeling like she was getting light headed from not breathing. Wasn't he... supposed to be getting angry at her?

"You're not... mad at me?" She murmured quietly.

"Of course not," he mumbles and squeezed her fingers. "Why would I be mad at you for wanting to protect yourself?"

That's all this was. She took them to protect her heart, physically and emotionally. But suppressants are only supposed to be taken in emergency situations. Like training for their future. But to be taken every day...

"B-but I... I took them without you knowing," she sniffed, her eyes betraying an inner turmoil. "And I-I'm trying to cut out my feelings. How are you not mad?"

He smiled at her, a gentle expression masking his true nature. It was enough to quell her fears. Even if just a little bit.

"I know why you do it. I know that this is your way of telling me you're still adjusting. And I can't force you to stop. But... the amount that you're taking is dangerous. If this keeps up, your body will become dependant on them and you will become helplessly addicted. And you'll be prone to even more sicknesses that would be even worse than a normal cold. I'm saying this for your sake, not mine. Please... promise me you will think about it."

Without another word, he suddenly leaned in close to her, his eyes filled worth worry. Before she could ask what was going on, a pair of cold but soft lips presses to her forehead. A jolt of static electricity makes her shiver, closing her eyes to hide how she was feeling. Opening them again seconds later, she sees that he was gone. And her skin still burned even long afterwards.

 _'Maybe_ _he's_ _right, but I think I need more time.'_

//////////////////////

"Where do you suppose they could be?"

Uruha hadn't spoken in a little while. Not since leaving the building altogether. So Aoi was not expecting to have an answer right away.

"Hmmm, I'm not sure," he admitted. "It's still early... Who knows where they could be."

The two demons lusting after the poor spirits were nowhere to be found, and the scent trails that Aoi was picking up on were all over the place. They could literally be anywhere.

They had been searching around the grounds for nearly two hours and the usually patient brunette was getting more and more antsy.

"Can't you just sense them or whatever?" Uruha asks in frustration.

"Normally yes. But they've been spreading their trails all over, making it difficult for me to pinpoint them in all the other demons wandering about."

Uruha stares at him blankly.

"So they're hiding on purpose?"

Were they just being messed with? How did Aoi put up with this every day in his old life?

"Maybe not on purpose. In this particular setting and atmosphere it's not surprising. In hell with can see each individual trail like they were trailing string behind them. But here on earth, it's not a simple task. We just have to rely on sight for now."

Which would mean more traversing through the damn grounds and hoping to see them by chance... what a pain. Uruha sighed, knowing the had a long day ahead of them.

"Then how about we check out the maze? It might be good to get familiar with something like that. Just in case something ever comes up."

Aoi thought about it for a few moments, wondering if it was a good time to be thinking such things. One one hand, it would be kind of annoying to deal with. But on the other, if more demons came around or Reita did something stupid then knowing the layout would be a good means of escape.

His human was a smart one wasn't he... Maybe it was the Mark or he was naturally that astute. He was a doctor so that was a nice little plus.

"Hmmm that may be a good idea," he agreed with a small smile. "Come on then, let's go look inside."

Ruki had made the entrance all fancy with the neat looking table and flowers, but the inside was incredibly claustrophobic and tight. There was a door, if you could call it that. A thin plank of wood on some stone column that had the maze clinging to it for dear life. The hedges, although covered in all types of flowers, were overgrown and had vines sprouting about everywhere they walked. If one was not careful, getting lost in such a place would be easy. But it didn't seem that big from the outside. Maybe it wasn't that bad.

However, when they stepped into the door and closed it, he suddenly was aware of the silence surrounding them, and the usually noisy fountain was not there. What's going on?

"Huh. A time maze," Aoi mumbled to himself off handedly. "What a sneaky little imp."

"What?"

Aoi sighed, even more irked than usual.

"He made a much larger maze than expected. It seemed small from the outside, but it looks like he managed to make a small pocket dimension in this small bubble of space. Perhaps he is smarter than I give him credit for after all. But we should keep moving, learning his place is out of the question, but if what I know about his dimensions then it should not be that hard to find them if they are here."

Aoi grabbed his hands and starts to lead him through the overgrown mess of weeds and flowers, taking any random turns as they presented themselves. All he could do was helplessly follow behind like a puppy on a too short leash. The colors of green and pinks and purples rushing past him didn't help either, he was starting to feel motion sick.

"Not too fast," he complained. "Us pitiful mortals get tired easy!"

Aoi barked out an amused laugh and managed to slow down so Uruha wasn't a panting mess. His legs may be long but he was clumsy in the worst ways.

"All right fine, just stop squawking about like that, you'll attract too much attention."

Uruha sighed in relief as they slowed to a slow pace. Like this he could properly take in his surroundings and quell his claustrophobic stomach.

Now that he could focus, he could tell that this place was... off. Something definitely felt darker here, despite the fact that the sun hung high in the sky despite the dark clouds. The hedges rose above their heads by a few feet, making seeing past them impossible.

"This place is creepy," he can't help but to say, feeling a chill on his arms.

"Yeah, your fight or flight instincts tend to kick in at a time and place like this. But don't worry, he made this place for his Mark, who is a human. We're perfectly safe."

That alone made him feel better. Ruki would not willingly put Brianna in a dangerous position. That was just ridiculous. He was about to say something else but felt himself stop as he hit into Aoi's back.

"Oof. What-"

"Hang on," Aoi said and stopped short in front of a flower covered stone archway.

"Eh?"

The raven stayed deathly silent and don't move a muscle, his eyes wide and trained on something ahead of them. Did he sense something?

"I think I can feel them. Come on, they're close."

Then all at once Aoi is pulling him along yet again, but made sure to not go so fast.

"How can you tell?" He asks breathlessly.

"I can pick up on different demonic energies, even with my seals gone. These fourth levels are not hard to pick out. Thank Goodness for Ruki's insight to add a demonic aura to this place."

As he says that he turns a corner and into an impossibly wide courtyard. There was a large patio made of smooth rose colored marble streaked in gold and black with an effeminate Greek statue in the middle. A fountain was the pedestal for the statue, holding clear sparkling water.

And lo and behold, two demons happened to be relaxing in such a place on white marble benches. A few female demons of low status were slithering about as well, but squeaked and fled as the third level came into view.

"Tcb, they got chased away. Pity."

Yoongi and Jungkook were here, just as he suspected. Acting as nonchalant as ever. Just being around them gave Uruha the worst kind of creeps.

"So you were here," Aoi huffed, putting a hand to his hip. "We were beginning to think you had turned tail."

The shorter one stood up, a half smoked cigarette dropping to The ground under his immaculate boots. They weren't wearing suits now but dressed far more casually. Their clothes still looked like they were worth more than his life though.

"Hmph, and miss out on the chance of the century?" Yoongi chuckled sarcastically, his dark eyes brimming with amusement. "Ah, I don't think so. Kookie and I have just been biding our time."

Kookie?

"I told you not to call me that," the taller of the two growls, his angular face twisting into distaste.

"Oh get over it," his superior growls before adding something in Korean. "Anyway, what is all of this about? Have the two dears finally come to their senses and accepted us?"

Just the idea had them both salivating at the mouth. Even the usual stoic taller one had a glazed over look in his eyes.

"That is for them to decide," Uruha added bravely. "That's why we are here. To take you to them. Jimin said he was willing to talk."

They were taking a huge risk here, but if it meant saving Jimin's friend... Then they had to do anything they could.

"You don't know where they are, right? We're here to help only if you really mean what you said. About helping them and not harming them. That's the last thing they need at this point."

At that, Yoongi grew stoic again, frowning.

"I see. So it isn't just out of your own selfishness that you're doing this I'm guessing? Clearly, something else is wrong, because we would never ever harm them."

So they were able to pick up on it that easy? These demons were seriously the real deal...

"Yes," Aoi huffed, his eyes growing serious. "The one you followed here? Too much of his spirit energy has been sapped out. He's in serious trouble and if we do not help him soon, he could cease to exist altogether."

Just like that, Jungkook snapped.

**TBC**


	31. Feeling - Eighth Day/Second Week

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We haven't had some quality aoiha moments in a while! Allow me to remedy that!
> 
> (also some yoonmin finally)

******Normal POV**

_"I wonder about you, you know? What are you thinking? Are you... are you in pain? Can you even hear me?"_

_Small and thin fingers gently card through soft silvery tresses, rubbing gently every so often. Worried blue eyes trail over every feature of a dear companion, sleeping and breathing heavily. Soft pale lips are rough and abnormally pink from a subconscious worrying of teeth._

_Jimin watches over his companion with worry and relief, his non-existent body aching with a deep cold pain._

_"I still can't believe you're here," his melodic voice continues. "After so many years, you're here with me. I just... I need to know you're okay. Not being able to see you fully here is killing me. Again. And it scares me. I want to see you up and about, I want to see your adorable smile, and I want to hear your voice..._

_"I don't know what to do Tae. There are demons here and they want us for some unknown reason. I can feel how bad they desire to claim us. But I'm so scared. They said they can help us, but how do I trust the words of demons?"_

_A single sigh escapes his own plush mouth, also a worried pink color, and he shifts to be closer to the bed to his dear friend. It's been like this the past few days, with him just constantly worrying. Will Taehyung ever wake up again? Will he never hear that soothing voice again?_

_"What should I do Tae? I'm so lost," he whined and lets his hand find his friend's on the soft sun colored covers. "I wish Seokjin was here... He would know what to do. But he would have to die, wouldn't he? I guess it is too much to hope."_

_He_ _spends_ _another hour like_ _that_ _,_ _silently_ _watching_ _over_ _his dearest friend. A_ _maid_ _comes_ _in_ _a few_ _times_ _to_ _assess his friend's condition and_ _not_ _down_ _notes_ _, but_ _otherwise_ _, all was_ _quiet_ _. Only the_ _sound_ _of his friend breathing kept him tethered to sanity._

///////////////////////////////////////

It all happened in such a flash, Uruha could swear he was seeing something out of a sci-fi movie or something. The moment Taehyung's condition is revealed, the taller demon went into a feral mode and began to storm through the maze, growling and snarling with red eyes and black smoke coming from his mouth behind sharp gleaming teeth. It was so scary that Uruha had to hide behind Aoi to prevent himself from being trampled.

Suga, however, seemed to not be surprised and watched the trail of smoke get thinner the farther away Jungkook got.

"Oh boy, now you done did it," he sighs and rolled his icy blue eyes. "Kook loses his cool easily when it comes to stuff he is passionate about."

"Did what? What was that all about??" Uruha demanded with panic. "He isn't gonna hurt them, is he?"

If that was the case, they had to leave and protect the spirits who had no other forms of protection!

"No of course not. If he were to even try I would have to rip his insides out and stuff them down his throat."

His nonchalant tone makes the both of them grimace and at such graphic words no less.

"So what do we do? Just go back?"

Suga nodded, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"You said you can take us to them. Well, lead the way. If push comes to shove, Kookie will have to use his special ability in order to reach out to his desired Mark. And I have a few words for your cute friend Jimin."

There was just a tinge of desperation hidden behind a stony nonplussed attitude. Suga was just as desperate but was hiding it behind indifference as the leader. It was small so he almost missed it. Did Jimin have such an effect that a demon would lose his cool?

"Better yet... why don't you just tell us where to go? I'm a big boy, I can manage myself."

Okay, maybe he was right. If they wanted to harm the spirits, they would have done so already. Especially when the portal was first opened... and they were just feet apart.

Aoi makes a face at first, but Uruha didn't know what to do either. What could this guy do in a place full of thirds as he was just a fourth?

"Fine," he relented after a moment of intense scrutinizing from the pale-haired demon. "But only because we have work of our own to do here. They would be on the third floor, past a nest of seventh level demons and in an old psychotic ward. I'm sure you can figure that much out right?"

His challenging words don't phase Suga at all and he is met with a new smirk and a dismissive wave.

"Yeah yeah I know, gotta find your seals and whatnot. Thanks for the tip, I just gotta get past your guard dogs now. And calm that damn juvenile of a demon down before he burns this place to the ground."

As he walked away through the maze, Uruha heard him about in his own tongue to the now rampaging demon who, unfortunately, was in a state of panicked fury. He could hear growls and snarls even from here, and a demonic aura seeped in the hedges, poisoning the air and making him feel suffocated. B

"Let's go," he hears Aoi murmur to him quietly as a breath against his ear. "We have something to talk about, just us alone."

He couldn't help but look around for the two demons as Aoi pulled him along, worrying the inside of his cheek with his teeth. Would Jimin be okay when they got back?

"Was it a good idea to let them go like that?" He voiced out loud, his nerves on fire.

"Jimin is not helpless. What can happen, he is already dead anyway. Those demons wouldn't lay a hand on him or his friend."

Did he just remember another name? That was progress, sort of.

"Um... kind of insensitive," he huffed. "But... you're right. I'm probably worried for no reason."

The hedges grow shorter as they go, probably nearing the entrance by now.

"Right. And anyway, Umi should be enough to protect them, she is still loyal to me despite being under Ruki. Whoever he commands, I also command. To a lesser degree."

"Ruki won't do anything to help?" Uruha asks.

"Doubt it. The pink lady still has him under her thumb, so I think he'll be busy."

Okay. This whole 'pink lady' thing was getting ridiculous.

"You can say her name you know," Uruha mumbles. "It's not like it's a curse or anything..."

Aoi just smirks and chuckles to himself.

"I know," he says and suddenly stops their walking to corner Uruha up against a nearby pillar of stone that was covered in leaves and flowers. "I just like seeing you squirm when you get upset. It makes me feel things."

Heat pooled in his cheeks, turning him pink all the way to his ears.

"Is this really the time for this?" He hissed at the raven, feeling a hand snake to his waist and slip under his jacket. "I thought you said we have to talk!"

His body freezes up as Aoi caressed the skin of his hip, the other one keeping him trapped against the pillar none too gently and with very little space between them.

"We do," comes the rather snarky answer. "I never said we had to do it verbally though did I? I feel like talking can come later, I need to recharge myself."

He has no idea how it came to this, but no sooner does that leave Aoi's mouth, his own is covered in a wet heavy kiss, his voice getting stuck in his throat as a pitiful squeak. A rough hand continues to press into his hip, creating crescent-shaped indents.

He can't help the flush of heat going through his body as Aoi easily takes utter control of the kiss, his tongue dominating and melting his brain.

Why did it have to turn out this way? Aoi was so greedy!

His body is pleased, much to his chagrin. Knowing the Mark was keeping his senses a prisoner only made the guilt in his stomach even worse. It felt good, yes, he could admit it without being a sore loser. But at this point, what part of it was from the Mark, and what part was from his own secretive desires? He didn't even know anymore. All he could feel now was a delicious tingle starting in his toes that went to his fingers and his head.

Finally, he needs to breathe and managed to pull from the kiss, a string of wetness keeping them together as he wanted for air.

"Need, to breathe," he whined, clawing at Aoi's back weakly as his knees shook from holding himself up.

But the raven wasn't done, instead latching his mouth to Uruha's fair neck, remarking a two-day old spot where a purple hickey had began to disappear just to bring it back. He flinched as teeth gently nipped at his Mark, reminding him of who his body belonged to now.

"Your skin is so warm," he hears the demon murmur softly, dragging his tongue over his neck in open-mouthed kisses. "And sweet."

"Not my fault," he pouted, trying not to let Aoi know of his heating up body. "It's fucking freezing in here."

He shivers, but he was certain it wasn't just caused by the cold. Aoi hums and slides his hand further up his jacket, his fingers as cold as ice but soft. It almost feels good competed for the rest of his body which is hot.

"It's been a while since we've enjoyed a moment alone together like this," he purrs softly, drawing patterns across the brunette's stomach.

"I woke up and you were almost strangling me from hugging me too hard," he growled, still panting. "I couldn't breathe."

"Yeah, it felt like so long ago," Aoi lamented as he snuck his hand up further, his mouth leaving soft breathy puffs of air after every kiss. Now his fingers were on his chest, pushing the fabric of Uruha's jacket up to his body.

"Hmph, drama queen," Uruha sighed, his head hitting the pillar. Inadvertently he gave Aoi more access to his skin, which the raven immediately took advantage of.

"You have a lovely pink flush on you, baby doll. Is that because of me?"

He's smirking through the kisses all up and down Uruha's neck, still smothering the Mark with kisses and a wet tongue.

"You know I can't help it."

"Heh, I can't either. You're as ice cold to me as ever despite the heat of your body. It's somewhat endearing and arousing at the same time."

At some point, his leg had found it's way to wrapping around Aoi's waist, allowing their fronts to press dangerously close together. A heavy moan falls out of his lips and he had to bite down on his tongue to prevent another embarrassing noise from coming out.

Aoi laughs against his mouth, tugging on his bottom lip with his teeth so softly it made Uruha's chest hurt. His hands tightened at Aoi's own jacket, shivering.

"I love when you get all unraveled like this," he whispered hotly, causing an involuntary shudder deep in Uruha's stomach. "Quite a sight from your usual facade isn't it. It's hot."

"Asshole," he bites out, only to gasp sharply when teeth sunk into his mark, sending a jolt of electricity to his hips. "Hnghh..!"

The demon is relentless, sucking and biting at the spot until Uruha was a whimpering mess, tears if a mix of pain and pleasure prickling his eyes. He feels his breaths come sharply and quickly, his chest heaving.

_'What... what's going on,'_  he wonders to himself, his eyes growing heavy as his body grew fuzzy.  _'Why am I not... stopping him? I can't push him off...'_

Helplessly he mewled like a cat, clutching at Aoi's neck, a hand grasping at the silky locks near his ear. Aoi groaned into the touch suddenly, his tongue caressing and soothing the sore spot on the Marked spot. Then as their mouths met in another kiss, he suddenly hears a sound that made his eyes widen and a tear roll down his cheeks.

"Baby doll," he moaned quietly, the sound making Uruha gasp inadvertently. He never heard Aoi make that noise before... just groans and growls of dominance. But a sound like that... made him feel like Aoi was showing a brief moment of vulnerability.

Aoi didn't seem to mind baring his soul like that, his mouth still busy smothering him with kisses. But Uruha couldn't find it in himself to protest the onslaught of affection, his exhausted limbs too tired to protest.

So he lets go completely, his body melding into Aoi's and creating a thick pocket of heat between them to stave off the coldness in the prison-like mess. 

_'Fuck it. I'm probably beyond help by now.'_

Time seemed to freeze around them, a bubble of stillness encapsulating them in such a private and static charged moment. And for once, it didn't feel like he was going to drown. So he lets Aoi continue to do as he pleased and surrendered himself willingly to the suffocating kisses and hot touches. 

Jimin could probably wait a while longer and handle himself.

///////////////////

Umi was quietly tending to her duties throughout the day. Brianna was doing much better than before, her cold lessening to where she could venture out of her room. And the spirit boy was less pale than before but still unconscious. From what she could glean of his condition, he was not reserving his energy as much as he should have been, at least for a spirit. His body should have been siphoning energy from the atmosphere around him, but he was far too weak. The demons that did this took just a bit too much. 

It was a shame. Seeing such a beautiful boy in pain brought her sorrow. All the more reason she wanted to find a way to bring him peace and allow him to relax. So she did what she could for him, giving him small bits of her own energy and looking over him to the best of her ability.

Jimin was more than willing to let her do her job in peace, but he stays as close as he can to his friend. Something was incredibly sad about him. Not just his predicament, but his aura and personality were just somber. Umi sighed as she patted Taehyung's forehead with her gentle touch and smiled at the worried sunshine haired boy. Dark circles have formed under his eyes, invisible to those who weren't looking. But after only days of looking after people, it was not hard to see.

"Dear," she starts softly, getting his attention. "Have you been resting at all?"

Jimin sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. 

"I want to say yes, but I know you can see right through that, can't you?" he said, smiling. 

"You're very astute," she answered with a sweet laugh. "But, I think you need a nap at least. Even spirits need to rest sometimes."

Jimin huffed a small laugh and crawled into the bed with Taehyung, snuggling up to his side for the warmth he wished he could feel.

"I know. Tae Tae would be upset if he found out about this," he murmurs fondly, brushing at the sleeping boy's face. "But it would not be the first time."

Umi sighed sadly, feeling their despair in her heart. These poor boys just could not catch a break, could they? She was ready to comfort him when a sudden feeling began to prickle at the back of her neck. Then she felt them.

_'Demons.'_

Her eyes widened and she turned to the door. 

"Umi-san?" Jimin questions. "Is something the matter?" 

She hushed him, her senses on overdrive. They were on their way here. It wasn't Aoi or Ruki, she knew their energy trails anywhere. These ones... Vaguely familiar. She felt them a few days ago but never met the owners. And it wasn't any of the seventh levels taking residence in the next wing over. 

No, these ones felt determined and in a hurry, and even from here she could feel a dark energy coming from one of them. 

"Hush, child," she cooed. "I'll be right back, don't leave this room. I have to check on Brianna."

She hurried out, leaving a confused Jimin behind. But just before leaving, her fingers create a single burned Mark on the door to keep out any intruders. 

He went rigid as a new energy appeared in the area around their little bubble, and he recognized those signatures anywhere. 

"It's them," he whispered to himself, eyes growing wide and body shivering from an unknown sensation. He should have known they would come looking for them sooner or later, but he didn't think it would be so soon..! Two days was not nearly enough time to make up his mind! He was still in an existential crisis!

Swallowing he looked down at Taehyung, feeling a painful squeezing in his chest. What is he supposed to do now..? If they wanted to talk... Then, maybe he could just, sort of hear them out? 

"I'll be right back Tae," he says softly and leaned down to kiss his friend on the forehead and his eyelids. "I know what I have to do. Anything to save you, and if you wake up soon, you can be mad at me all you want. But anything to make you wake up, I am willing to do. For you."

With shaky legs, he stands from the bed, pulls down the jumper on his frail body, and makes his way to the door. His legs stopped just when his hand reached the handle, and he swallowed hard. Outside he could hear voices, hurried and frantic. Out of all of them, he could hear Umi and the one that called him 'sunshine' from before. The one with pale hair on his face and deep piercing eyes that stared right through him.

"I have every right to be here. This is uncharted territory unclaimed by any demon faction whatsoever. And we have permission to be here from your  _leader_."

A deep and husky voice echoed through the heavy door, muffled but still as powerful as ever. 

This was crazy. Probably the craziest thing he has ever done in his life. Nothing he had ever done when he was alive could amount to this. 

"I understand that, but until you tell me your reasons for being here, I cannot let you inside. There is a human girl in there dealing with a lot of things right now, she does not need more stress on her body than she already has now."

Umi was brave, very much so. A far cry from who he was, he had to admit. But one good thing he could think was if all went well, he could gladly say he had been more than what people would say about him. 

Weak. Childish. A  _coward_. 

"Look, Lady, all due respect, but that really isn't any of yours or anyone's business but ours and the people we are looking for."

No. Not anymore. Even after his death, he would not let those terrible things get to him anymore. If only Seokjin could see him now. 

Taking a deep breath, he broke the Mark on the door and stepped into the hallway, ready to face his problems head on. 

There they were, just at the entrance to the Living room in the hallway. The demons that would either make his life better or make it a living hell. The one who had taken an interest in him stared unabashedly at him with those same deep eyes, his hair swept up by his fingers. The taller one looked incredibly distressed, his face wild and searching, impatient. 

"It's okay Umi-san," he called softly, gaining their attention. "I can take it from here."

"Jimin... Are you sure?" she asks warily, keeping an eye on the demons. "They're dangerous, you should let me-"

"No, it's okay," he said and approached them slowly, his fingers shaking. "I know why they're here. You should go stay with the girl for now."

Confused, the woman looked at Jimin and then the newcomers, her face a mirror of apprehension. But without one more word to her, Jimin slips past her and into the hallway, feeling the energy coming from them seeping into his body. He shuddered, the coldness making him want to run. But he was tired of running. The door slips closed and he flinched at the click it made.

He stared at Suga in the eyes, finding his resolve in the promise he made to Taehyung. 

**"Fancy seeing you again, sunshine,"** Suga began in their tongue, smiling softly. A complete change from how they first met.  **"I was beginning to think you were eluding us."**

Jimin shivered again, that voice making him feel strange. 

**"I wasn't, Suga-hyung,"**  he answered quietly.  **"Taehyung needed someone to look after him. But I know you aren't here for small talk. I know why you're here."**

He tore his eyes from Suga to look at Jungkook, noting the tense shoulders and lips in a worried frown. This was the demon responsible for harming Taehyung, but he knew there was a reason. Blaming anyone would only make him a part of the problem. 

**"Already calling me so formally? So polite you are,"**  Suga laughs.  **"But yes, we are indeed here to talk. We know your friend is in danger and we want to make it up to you. Are you willing to allow us in, sunshine?"**

There was that name again. Jimin bit back the urge to sigh out loud. What was this, high school all over again? He felt like a girl being courted by the popular guy that everyone lusted after. 

**"My name is Jimin,"**  he huffed, seeing the amused smirk on the demon's face.  **"And Yes, I am. Only if you promise you won't hurt anyone inside."**

**"Of course I won't, that would only serve to upset you. And that isn't what I want at all. We only want to help, right Kookie?"**

The taller demon nodded tersely, still agitated. 

**"I need to see him. I can help. Please."**

Jimin fidgets with his sweater, still a bit hesitant. But he knew they didn't have the time to wait. 

**"Right. Come with me. The others will be back soon and I don't want them to worry."**

He decided to float a few inches above the ground, the weightlessness comforting. He effortlessly disappears through the door and opens it for them, not bothering to wait for them. 

_'Okay, okay. This is it. This is something I have to do.'_

The demons are right on his tail, following him into the room where Taehyung still slept peacefully. He had learned how to break Marks on doors from Umi just the other day, and when his fingers burn away the obstructing thing keeping out the demons, he knows there is no way to turn back now. 

_'Forgive me Tae.'_

 

**TBC**


	32. Unfolding - Eighth Day/Eighth Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is getting long, but bear with me! So, the plot will definitely start to get going somewhere ;) heeheehee (don't hate me alright?)
> 
> Anyways here is the next part!

******Normal POV**

The room had become suspiciously silent. No one had even decided to say anything when the door closed behind them. Jimin could feel a sheen of electricity on his arms from the two terrifying demons lingering in the room. Not even the coldness of his death could have prepared him for the sheer power radiating off of them in such strong and inescapable waves. 

It was terrifying being in their presence without Aoi's or Uruha's protection, and only the knowledge that Yoongi and Jungkook were not here to hurt them was what kept him from telling them off. He wanted them here, after all, he invited them in his safe space. And once you invite a demon into your personal circle, there was no way of making them leave.

Jimin had gone back to sitting protectively on the bed in front of a still soundly sleeping Taehyung, in full protection mode despite his fear. He stared at the demons and noted the way they had made themselves at home, but the taller one was incredibly tense. His eyes were burning holes into the spot behind him, specifically at Taehyung. 

**"So,"**  he starts nervously, instinctively reaching behind himself to feel for his friend's hand to ground himself to reality.  **"You're here now. And you aren't ripping my soul apart. What exactly do you want to help me for?"**

He spoke in their shared tongue, more comfortable with the words as they flowed out but still keeping his words short and polite.

Suga looked back at his subordinate, giving him a stoic look that screamed ' _control yourself_ ' before he turned back at Jimin, his face a complete and drastic change from the expression he had when dealing with Umi before. From calm, cool and collected, to looking like he had struck gold and found the most life-changing treasure in his life as their eyes met and an unknown light sparkled behind the cold demeanor. He could feel his chest tighten, and was certain that if he still had a beating heart, it would be hammering in his chest. 

Jimin could only barely feel the long gone echoes, but it was scary to know that this demon was the reason why they came back in the first place. 

**"Why, sunshine,"**  Suga began, smiling a gummy smile as he takes a seat on the leather seats that Aoi moved in for him.  **"I told you, didn't I? I want to help you. You are the reason why we are here."**

He was laying on the soft words quite thick wasn't he... his voice was sweet, yet thick with something deep and underlying that he couldn't place. It made his skin tingle, and it was confusing.

" **Um... how exactly? How will you** **being** **here help me? Or help Tae for** **that** **matter?"**

Suga looked at Jimin as though he were the most innocent thing on this planet, a fond smile making his eyes crinkle in a way that Jimin could not deny made his breath stutter. This guy was charming, he gave him that much.

" **Kookie is a dreamstrider** ," he says softly, looking back at his subordinate. " **He** **can** **look** **into** **different** **people's** **dreams** **. If you let us** **help** **, we** **can** **figure** **out** **what is** **wrong** **with your** **friend**."

" **A dreamstrider?** "

Jimin had never heard of such a thing before. But then again, he didn't know about a lot of things in this new world of his. Ghosts, demons, et cetera et cetera. This whole paranormal activity thing was all so new to him and yet he was the dead one here.

**"You seem like you** **don't** **believe** **me,** " Suga tutted with an amused chuckle.

" **It's** **not** **that,** " Jimin responded with a shake of his head. " **I just...** **I** **don't** **know** **what** **to think of a this still. I** **haven't** **been in this** **world** **for long, so** **I** **hope you understand my hesitation.** "

Jimin squeezed Taehyung's hand, biting the inside of his cold cheek.

" **This world? Earth**?" Jungkook asks in confusion. Jimin sighed, eyes closing as memories of his life came flooding back to him. Pain. Sadness. Suffering. Hiding behind the facade of a happy idol under the pressure of fame and a public appearance only for it to be ripped from him so quickly and at such a young age. Truthfully, it all just made him feel... numb.

" **No,** " he says bitterly to himself. " **Being dead**."

A heavy silence is draped over the room like a blanket, and he wished he had kept his mouth closed. That was a bit too heavy for their first 'official' meeting but he knew he had to say it sometime or other.

However, the demons seemed to understand his silence and Suga sighed.

" **I see** ," he says and stands up. " **I understand. You were so** **young** **when** **you died** **, which is a pity. Your beauty could captivate the** **hearts** **of many,** **I** **imagine**."

Jimin feels himself curl in on himself but not from fear. It had been so long since he heard words of praise directed at him that it made him immediately feel his body respond with unconscious preening to soak up said affection.

It was so embarrassing, making him curl inwards to hide what would have been a blushing face had he still been alive. Now, his transparent ghostly glow turned a slightly higher color, turning the usually pale gray halo of light around him to turn a bright silver.

Suga didn't miss this and stepped forward, his steps slow and deliberate as to not spook the boy. Jungkook watched his boss with intense eyes, still controlling himself. Why? Jimin didn't know the specifics and he didn't want to know.

**"I can imagine being suddenly ripped from life and put in a world full of monsters like me** **must** **be pretty** **terrifying** **isn't** **it?** " Jimin nods. " **But** **don't** **you** **worry** **Sunshine. We are here to help alleviate** **that** **pain and fear. But only with your permission can we do that. If you want, Kook can share with you what he** **can** **do, and then** **you'll** **be able to see that he means only the best. As do I.** **What** **do you say?** "

Jimin once more bites into his mouth, looking at the demons. Suga was now just near him on the side of the bed and had a hopeful look on his pale and demonically beautiful face. Jungkook was even more agitated, biting his nails. It was surreal, knowing he had the power to make such a decision. If he did this, he wanted to know what would happen as a result.

" **If I let you help me** ," he started slowly, locking eyes intensely with Suga. " **What will happen to us? To** **Tae** **or to me for that matter? Will he wake up? Will we be the same or will we be different? I need to** **know** **what** **I'm** **getting myself into**."

At first, Suga seems a bit exasperated at the hesitation, but he covers it up with a soothing aura, letting his once suffocating and powerful energy turn I to a warm one, letting it cover the room in a protective bubble of a cloud-like feeling.

**"I know,** **you're** **scared** ," the demon began in an uncharacteristically desperate tone. " **But if** **you're** **still** **not** **sure** **,** **I** **can give you a glimpse of what you can get back if you let us** **help** **?** **I'm** **sure it is something that you have been aching to feel again. For so** **long** **you've** **been stuck in the deepest depths of a cold, dark, and unrestful sleep. But** **I** **can bring you** **once** **more to the light** **if** **you let me**."

" **Give me**?" He asks, now feeling more the warier. " **What** **can you give me that was taken from me?** **I'm** **dead, what more can be taken away**?"

Despair had once more clouded his thoughts, not letting him think rationally. Suga was giving him more bad memories of his life. Pain. Darkness. A sharp pain and eternal death.

Tears had begun to roll down his cheeks, their corporeal forms easily dropping to The covers to stain them with physical forms. He may be dead, but he could still manipulate his emotions enough to make real tears.

Suga then sat at the edge of the bed, and with a sad but smiling expression he held up a hand. It was a bit larger than his own, covered in pale smooth skin and a few soft beauty marks and deep running blue veins that popped against his skin. Jimin's eyes ran across them, mesmerized and forgetting his tears momentarily.

Then Suga touched his still wet cheek, and all at once he could feel his breath leaving his chest as images assault his mind from all sides.

Safety.

Light.

_Warmth._

A long forgotten feeling began to bloom in his whole body. A feeling that seemed to catch him off guard but then made him cry even harder. His whole frame literally shook, and the tears would not stop coming.

Jimin could  _feel_  Suga.  Like, really feel him. He felt his hand against his cheek, no not just his energy but his actual hand. He opened his tear-blurred eyes and felt those pale and once cold eyes staring through him with such an intense and heated gaze that he felt weak-kneed, his breaths coming in short exasperated breaths.

He felt  _alive_. His body was alive, he could feel his heart beating in his chest, and his lungs pulling in oxygen. And he could feel the blood rushing through his veins as Suga softly caresses his cheek. His body was  _real_.

" **Suga** ," he hiccups through tears. " **What are y-you doing... to me?** "

The demon smiled at him warmly, and his hand slips into his blonde hair, pressing gentle touches to his neck to soothe his tears.

" **I** **can** **give you life again, Jimin. A life** **being** **this** **terrible** **one you have** **been** **.** **Forced** **to suffer through. All you** **have** **to do is agree to be my Mark. And** **I** **can give you the entire world. All for only a little bit of your energy that you won't even notice is missing**."

Jimin soaks up as much of this feeling as he could, trembling like a madman as life pulsed through what was clearly a fake body, but he didn't care. Illusion or not, he felt so warm and safe that he was scared to let this feeling go. He could get this back permanently if he agrees.

Would Tae be able to come back to life too? Will they finally find peace like this? Peace from the damned half-life of relying on others for their energy? It was no death he wished upon his worst enemy, let alone his best friend. Two years was enough to make you desperate to find a way out.

And this, this right here could be their way out. Out from the darkness and into the light.

His cries subsided just a little bit and, as a surprise to both himself and the demon propositioning him for his life, he put his own hand over the one on his cheek. The touch makes Suga suck in a soft breath, his fingers brushing against Jimin so gently that the blonde chokes out a whine. It's warm and sends more fake blood to his head, making him dizzy.

" **I want to save him** ," he whined, staring Suga in the eyes. " **I want Tae to be happy again. I want to make him smile, I want to see him laugh and be his usual beautiful self. I don't want him to leave me, not again. The first time destroyed me, I can't handle going through it a second time**."

Jungkook steps forward and makes a beeline for Taehyung, taking that as permission. His face is pained as he slowly and carefully takes a hold of Taehyung's hand, finally able to feel his faint presence.

" **So... I can save him? And if he comes out...** "

Jimin nodded. 

" **That will be up to him. Please, save him. Save us.** "

Now resolute, the taller demon sits near Taehyung'sunconscious form and is enveloped in a bright blue light and his eyes glow a deep white. 

As for Suga, well, he already got what he needed. A smile that mirrored Jimin's warm feeling takes over his face, and for once, Jimin does not feel like he is going to suffocate under his powerful aura. Instead, it feels as though he is swimming carelessly in its embrace, feeling like he was covered in warm blankets. 

If this was how he found his happiness, then fear be damned. Dead or not, no one deserved to stay like this if they were not in heaven. 

Suga continued to press a hand comfortingly to his neck, a touch that was protective and thoughtful. They had only just met, but the spirit could not trade this feeling for the world. 

" **Then, Park Jimin, I claim you as my vessel, and in return offer you my protection from the evils of this world. And so a contract is sealed and I place my Mark upon you as a permanent Bond**."

And before Jimin could blink, Suga's teeth had sharpened to small points and he feels them sink deep into the spot just below his jaw. A searing heat spreads through his whole body and before his visions blurs, the last thing he sees is a sweet gummy smile and piercing ice blue eyes. There is no time to scream as a comforting darkness envelops him and a familiar warmth spreads through his limbs, making them heavy until he finally slips into the embrace of a dreamless sleep. 

//////////////////////////////

Somehow, in between all of the hickeys and open-mouthed heated kisses all over his body AOi picked up on a very strong energy pattern and stopped before Either of them could lose their minds any further. His eyes grew wide and the whites of his eyes had bled entirely through with black. 

It's confusing. One minute he is intense and hungry for contact and in the next he was stiff and emotionless, showing only a stoic coldness. Uruha knew that it wasn't him but couldn't help the feeling of disappointment in his stomach. Why? He had no idea. Even if he did, he wouldn't ever admit it anyway.

"Aoi?" he pants, his lips far too swollen and wet. "Are you... Okay?"

The demon lets him go, not listening to him as he walked off. 

"I feel it again," was all he hissed and grabbed Uruha's arm before yanking him through the maze and then to the entrance of them are almost effortlessly. "They're moving around. Someone is moving them around on purpose so I can't find them but I can feel it now."

The time maze is left behind them, unfortunately for him. Uruha was almost enjoying himself in here. But he would have more time to enjoy it here once all this was over. He looked over his shoulder one last time before the door closed and the illusion bubble around them pops. He can hear the nighttime insects chirping along with the waster of the fountain splashing about as usual. And of course, the looming shadow of the asylum above them against the night sky. 

How long had they been in there? He didn't even bother to look up to watch the sky darken and feel even remotely alarmed.  

"Where are we going?"

"I can feel my seal," Aoi answered and lets go of his arm, storming off towards the old house. "It wasn't there before, but... Someone was not expecting me to find it. There is no time for this, Kouyou, let's just go. Explanations can wait."

The maze took a bit of maneuvering around, but it wasn't nearly the size it was on the outside that it was on this inside, so he could see the ends on either side. The house was right on the outskirts with newly grown flowers and a few neglected weeds covering the once finely tuned path. 

Aoi stormed towards it and kicks down the door, ripping it off its hinges. The house was closed and cold. Uruha could feel the darkness seeping from its depths, raising the hair on his arms. It was like he was staring into a void of evil, and he wanted nothing more than to run away.

There was something wrong, he could feel it. And so could Aoi, whose shoulders were immediately hackled with tension and a shudder ripples down his spine. 

"Stay out here," he growled to his Mark and slammed his hand to the frame, a new demon warding Mark burning its way onto the side of the house in the old peeling paint before stepping inside. "There is something dangerous inside."

Uruha sputtered, his mouth mimicking a dying fish.

"What- by myself?" He hissed back. "Where I am vulnerable?"

Aoi paused at the threshold with only a single foot in, looking back with a devilish smirk.

"Don't worry baby doll, I won't be gone long. I'll come back to protect you. If anyone comes, you'll know to get within the Marked house boundaries. I know you'll be all right."

Before he leaves, for added measure, he grabbed Uruha by his arm and yanked him forward for a short but wet kiss that made his head swim. Aoi used a few seconds to yank down Uruha's shirt to bite at his Mark and a red-hot sensation ran through him. But the demon disappears before he can say anything else, the darkness swallowing him up.

////////////////////

Brianna was sure that she was making an indent in the carpet from how much she was pacing back and forth in her room. Umi hadn't let her leave the room for the last few hours, long after the sun had gone down. Her cold had subsided enough so she wasn't attached to her bed like a magnet but still, she was stuck here. 

"They still aren't back?" she asked Umi, who was guarding her door against intruders. "I don't understand what is going on."

The maid continued to wait patiently in her temporary chair up against the door, her body rigid yet calm. 

"Fret not, dear," she answered, holding her hand in her lap. "Ruki is on his way, he will explain everything when he comes back. In the meantime, you should calm yourself before you run yourself ragged."

Brianna sighed and let her legs carry her to the bed, the only other thing to keep her company in this place. Right now, she was really missing Ruki's presence. Uruha and Aoi had work to do, of course, she knew that but still... she hadn't been able to see him due to her cold, but she was better now. So not being able to go out was really raising some serious red flags.

"Is this to do with the spirits that I can't see?" She asks. "Are they to blame for all this?"

Umi frowned suddenly, an expression that didn't match her matronly behavior.

"Not blame, per se," she sighs. "It's more like someone who wants something from them. More demons have come around, as per the usual."

More demons? Great. As if the ones near them and Reita were not enough to deal with already. Speaking of which. That guy still hadn't shown up. If he was gone, nothing good was gonna happen.

"I see. Hmm... and Ruki... he doesn't know where to find his other friend?"

Umi doesn't get a chance to answer as the door is being rapped on furiously but quietly, as though so wine were alerting them but trying to not alert anyone else.

"Friend, as in jealous ex-lover? No, not at all," Umi laughs bitterly before moving to open the door. Thank Goodness it was only Ruki. The demon came inside, his face worried and covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

"Ruki! Where were you? Are you all right?"

Brianna gasped as she saw something else clinging to his skin. Something that made her stomach tighten too much to be uncomfortable.

"Ruki... why are you covered in.... b-blood?"

The demon collapses to his knees, looking exhausted. Brianna is going to him immediately, holding him up before he can fall over from the apparent pain he was in. The blood seeped through his usually pristine lab coat, and his glasses were nowhere to be found.

"I... Reita he... I got into a fight with him," he mutters, coughing and writhing in pain. "I think he cut me with something dipped in poison because I'm not healing right... don't... go outside."

Brianna could feel his pain then, feeling a throbbing ache in her side. She winced, hissing through the sudden pain. But the last of her stabilizers were still in her system, dulling the pain.

"Ruki-sama," Umi gasped, leaning down to check his injuries. "Please, stay still. Let me look at what happened."

Usually, Ruki would snap back and say he was fine and not to worry. But his pallid skin and heavy labored breathing were not at all a good sign. She pulls back his coat and lifts up the shirt underneath, only to softly gasp in horror. Brianna felt the blood drain from her face, and Ruki painted even more roughly as the cold air huts his wound.

"Oh my god... What happened to you?"

A knife wound that should have been healed by now was stretching across his chest, going from the left side of his shoulder in a straight mine down to his hip. It was angry and pulsing out blood, the skin around the wound turning a sickly blue.

He finally laid back, his body wracked with pain. His eyes, once holding a deep fiery stubborn streak, were weak and drained of their color. His lips were colored in blood too and were turning into a weak smile. Brianna felt tears drilling down her cheek, in pain at seeing her Mark is such a state.

"My dear," he weakly huffed. "You're feeling... better right?"

She cried weakly, grabbing his cold clammy hand and pressing it to her too hot face.

"Stupid... you're hurt. You should be worrying about yourself... how did you do this?"

This was it. She was starving to feel something from him and this was all he could manage. It hurt. Not just from his injury, but she felt his pain deep in her heart.

Betrayal. From Reita and their old romantic flame to their cutthroat jealousy as of now. She knew there was no way the rebellious demon could come back to their group from this. Playful spats or discipline from Aoi was different but... to actually attack with an intent to kill?

"But I'm just... glad you're feeling okay," he weakly laughs before going into another coughing fit. "I... I think I need to rest. Here is fine... like this is fine..."

His eyes dropped weakly, and his hand went limp in Brianna's hold. She panicked and felt for a pulse. It was there but faint. Then he was unconscious, breathing raggedly.

"Ruki! Don't go to sleep yet," she pleads, shaking his shoulders. "Umi-san! What do we do?"

This was not good. She needed him to be awake. How else was she supposed to keep her emotions in check?

"I'll need a sample of his blood to give to the nurses, they will need to find a cure if there is one. But judging from the severity of his wound, we don't have long before it really does damage. All we can hope is that he can fight it off long enough."

Brianna whimpered, feeling him breathe against her stomach where his head lay. Her Mark started to burn, searing heat into her skin. The only thing she could do for him was to hold him close to her, running her fingers gently across his forehead and through his hair. Such a form of affection was her only comfort in an already troubling situation.

If only Uruha were here... he would know what to do. Why she was so scared for her marker and his safety... It was so  _scary_.

"Please. Come back... I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

**TBC**


	33. Falling Apart - Eighth Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AH. IT'S HAPPENING PEEPS. THE REALLY REAL STUFF
> 
> Maybe, only about 25 chapters are left, idk I might change it if I get the feeling to it heeheehee ;3c (no promises)

****All around he could see nothing but darkness. A blinding darkness that he couldn't see a thing through. It was as if the moment he left Uruha behind he could feel the moon lose its light and forsake him into the void of nothingness. He knew that he was a demon and was supposed to embrace darkness, but this was ridiculous.

This was so wrong. He knew dark demonic energy when he felt it, and not the good kind. It was thick, like tar, heavy and suffocating. It gripped onto him and pulled him in deep, clogging up his senses. He had to squint just to keep his night vision focused in front of him long enough to know where he was going. But it was difficult. Now that he had a handle on the feeling, he could sense another thing about all of this that made him angry.

He felt this signature so many times, so the worst part of all of this was that he could recognize it anywhere. And it both made his blood run cold and also boil with absolute rage.

Aoi roughly stomped through the house, despite the sticky feeling on his skin, following the trail up the darkened steps of the house, each rough step making the wooden structure creak under his weight and anger.

"I'll kill him," he growled to himself animalistically. "I'm going to fucking kill him."

It was only at the top that he could feel something else. Sevenths. Four of them. Which meant he was outnumbered in all of this.

'Shit,' He cursed to himself and steeled his nerves for confrontation. 'If this goes bad... They could easily overwhelm me. It's a good thing I left him behind...'

The raven stopped at the door to Uruha's old bedroom, where he could feel the five offensive energies radiating from. His teeth grit tight to where his temples hurt from the pressure, and he huffed to himself. By now it was probably apparent to the others in here that he had arrived and they were just waiting. Waiting for him to come in and ambush him. Damn it. Any way that he looked at this pointed to this all being a trap. Whoever moved his seal here made it obvious but he still fell for it.

Well... If anything, he could hold them off while he used their Mark to warn him to get away and run. This next Seal would be the key to getting his full strength back, and hopefully, once this was all over, either he would be stronger or he at least managed to keep his human safe.

No. Keep  _Kouyou_  safe. He knows it was more than that now. It has been no more than eight days, but... His life has changed more in these few days then all the years he has been alive. Kouyou brought him a sense of belonging. A sense that he belonged here, with him, rather than back home. Well, he wouldn't stay here of course, in this place anyway.

But given the chance and he gets out of here, he was going to take Kouyou far away from here, far away from the troubles this place stirred up.

'Fuck, if I get out of here safely, I am going to rip his throat out.'

The door was open, and when he grips the handle it swung open rather easily. And inside, his fears were confirmed, unfortunately so. Aside from all the anger and bloodlust he just felt... Disappointed.

"You," came the deep threatening growl out of his mouth. "You're the one behind all of this, aren't you?"

A single figure sat in the recliner nearest the bed shrouded in darkness, where a human body lay struggling for their life wrapped in black rope. Four other familiar demons were here as well, their faces making his blood boil. Kyo, Kaoru, Die, and Toshiya. All of them were here.

They were standing around the bed, obviously protecting it. That human was his seal, and if he could just get a clear shot...

"Me, indeed. You're so very astute."

The third level stood from the recliner and walked between the sevenths, letting the faint light coming from the window stream in and illuminate his face. Pale-faced and covered with a black strip of cloth, it was a face that now made him see nothing but images of blood and wish for a slow painful death.

To say he was livid, pissed, absolutely driven with an internal rage, would be a serious understatement.

"I thought I had known you better Reita," he hissed, the name now a bitter curse upon his tongue. His eyes glowing a murderous red thanks to his recovered seals. "But apparently not enough for an utter betrayal like yours."

The figure scoffed, a simple yet so very malicious sound that made his hackles raise even more. Deep ashy blue hair covered those black eyes, making them even deeper. His aura was heavy, overpowering. It was obvious he had recovered more seals than him, making him stronger. From what he was feeling, Reita only had to find two more before his own prison was broken. Aoi still needed four.

To attack him now would only spell out suicide for him. And the addition of the other demons would only prove to be a foolhardy mission.

"This was not just put into motion by me," he said calmly. "It was all his fault. Your new second has that honor, now that I have done the bare minimum of getting stripped of my title. Though maybe that won't last long, considering he now has a new knife wound down his body the size of Japan. I doubt his healing will help him this time."

Aoi felt his breathing stop with shock, and his whole body stiffens. Did he hurt Ruki? He actually had the audacity to attack Ruki? Over what? A woman? She had to be feeling his pain by now, and if her stabilizers were to run out it would spell disaster for her pitiful mortal body.

The door clicked closed, and he felt a demon lingering behind him, blocking the way.

"You... What did you do to Ruki?" he demanded, his fists balling at his sides. "What have you done, Reita?"

The demon smirks, a malicious evil corrupted smirk that didn't match his usual attitude of cold stoic silence. Now, he was absolutely crazy.

"I only did what I needed to do. He threw me away like I was nothing, and I wanted him to feel the pain I felt."

This couldn't just be a coincidence, a sudden burst of jealousy gone wrong. That look in his eyes was wrong on all accounts. They were definitely no saints, but his Pantheon of Thirds was not out for human or Demon Blood. Reita was straying far from his set Path and was on his way to losing his Mark and becoming a rogue who was hell-bent on utter destruction, just like these sevenths.

And if he was here, then it really was over. Reita was slowly but surely losing himself to the madness of his heartbreak and was now lusting after power to fill the void. It was infuriating, but most of all, it was sad.

Not only that, but Reita was breaking so many Underworld Laws that he was losing track. Just from this one confrontation.

"You... I hope you know what you have done," he growls at the third. "You aren't my brother anymore. If word of this gets out, you'll be hunted down for attempting to kill one of the thirds in charge of such an important section of Hell such as ours. You'll be put down like you're no more than a common hellhound. If it weren't for you hiding my seals, I would have been out of here by now. I could have easily been able to rip your fucking head off."

Reita sighed, bored of him already. It made Aoi want to claw out his eyes and feed them to crows.

"My my, always resorting to little more than violence and empty threats," he huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You know, Aoi, that has always been your problem. Instead of being the leader because you're a calm and collected person, you're the leader because you're the violent one who makes rash decisions. As such, you've always been the reason for our getting into predicaments and all sorts of trouble. Like the one keeping us here. That is all on you, as per usual."

"I don't want to hear that coming from you," he bit back, glaring holes into the other's skull. "I am not the one going around hiding seals, and throwing tantrums like a petty child because he got chosen by his ex over a woman, who I should remind you, is human. That's the lowest of the low."

Reita's gaze hardened, and he too squeezed his fists together in anger. Aoi hit a nerve, and he felt a bit of his earlier self confidence come back. He still had a weakness, and he was going to use that to his advantage.

"A problem that will soon be remedied," he said slowly, his anger radiating in waves. The other demons had become less and less statue-like, making a ring around him to trap him. Damn it, he was running out of time.

"And how do you plan to do that? Ruki won't ever take you back, not after what you did. Trying to kill him is the last straw."

The demon was shaking now, his anger getting the best of him by now.

"Why do you think I am doing this?" he growled. "I know there is no way, so I am cutting him out of my life before I get the urge to get him back. And what better way than to incapacitate him enough for me to get away? He is like a drug to me, you know that. And after he threw me away for a mere human, I snapped. What can I say? He was never the smart one in our little ragtag group. She was just the nail in his own coffin."

So that was it. It was all coming out now, wasn't it?

"So you're leaving forever? That's it? After everything, all the things we have both done for you? I am surprised at you, Akira. Letting something like this push you into insanity. You were always unstable and now I don't see a way out for you."

This was the end of their group as Aoi would know it. Reita would be gone, and their infrastructure was all being ripped apart. All because of a woman. A human who happened to catch Ruki's eye. He knew Uruha would nag his ear off for thinking this, but... What else could he think?

"This was a long time coming, Aoi, you of all people should have seen the signs beforehand. But that is why I led you here. I am willing to lessen the blow even if just a little. A way to say... Break our ties with one last big mission, for old time's sake."

Aoi narrows his eyes, hissing under his breath. Was he serious with that?

"What makes you think I would ever listen to anything you say?"

Reita shrugged, going to the side of the bed where the human lay. He lifts up long brown hair, and he can see now that it is a woman. A woman who was covered in deep cuts and purple bruises. Her nurse's outfit is torn and shows a skinny skeletal body underneath. Her eyes were mottled with purple and her breathing was incredibly labored. She was close to death, and if she died without his help, his seal would only Move to a new person again and he would have to go hunting again.

"Oh, wow, I don't know," Reita says sarcastically. "Maybe Your seal? Who, might I say, is already on the brink of death now the longer we dawdle. Oh, the girl that you are so adamant about protecting. And, of course, how can I forget your dear precious Uruha?"

Aoi stiffened, his body shaking from holding in his anger. Was Reita threatening him?

"You won't lay a hand on him," he all but snapped at Reita. "Not a single one or it will be the last thing you ever do in your pathetic life."

Reita laughed suddenly, a short barking sound that showed his amusement.

"Oh, I don't think you're in a position to disagree. I hold all the cards now, and if you want your humans to be safe and your Mark back in your hands, then I suggest you listen."

Oh fuck. he didn't have the power to keep the sevenths out until he got at least two more of his seals. And who knows how long that would take?

He knew he had no other options now but to hear him out.

"What the hell do you want from me?"

Reita let the human fall to the bed with a painful thud and he flinched. She was so close. There was no way she would last long at this rate.

"I know you hate her too," Reita said rather maliciously, but also like he was telling a secret. "I know, you can't deny it. You're wary of her, threatened even. You're afraid of her snatching him away despite your Marks. And you make up excuses to keep them apart. I know the look of obsession, Aoi, you can’t hide that from me. Not like you used to.”

It was Aoi’s turn to scoff, and he closed his arms around himself protectively. Better to hide the soft spots in case of attack.

“What are you insinuating?”

The demon walked towards him, only stopping just a few feet away from him. His face was twisted into madness, his eyes holding little to no emotion inside them.

“You and I, we can finally do something about this threat. I’ll leave you alone, and I will let you find your seals without moving them around. But from here on, you will do what I want. And what I want, Aoi, is for you to kill her. Mercilessly, painfully. Subject Ruki to the pain I have been feeling for the last four years. I want him to suffer and only you can do it.”

Aoi gaped, his surprise showing on his face as he froze.

Kill her… Kill the defenseless human. Who had, so far, done next to nothing to threaten his relationship with Uruha. Sure, he hated her in the beginning. And he would have been more than willing back then. But this was different. Uruha had changed him, and this whole experience was shaping him into someone entirely new.

To kill her now would only hurt his relationship with Uruha and distance them. Uruha would not stand to look at him, and in return, their Mark would falter and weaken them both. Then, without help, Uruha too would… Die.

“You can’t be serious,” he huffed, shaking his head. “She is not a threat anymore, Ruki needs her. Uruha needs her. I know he won’t do anything,  _she_  won’t do anything.”

“You can’t really be sure, though can you?” Reita chuckles humorlessly, holding nothing but bitterness in his tone. “The human heart is a fickle thing, Aoi. Anything can change it, anything can make them different and all too quickly. She could worm her way into his own heart and that could be the end. She is nothing but a liability to all of us. It’s better if she is out of the picture for good.”

Oh shit. He was serious. This was no longer just jealousy at work here. He truly believed she was the cause of their woes. That she was a danger to them all. He was seriously crazy.

“I would think about it,” Reita continues when he doesn’t answer. “For now, I have a job to do and more of my own seals to find. I’ll leave, and I’ll give you a week to do the deed. If not, I will do it myself and more than that.”

It was no empty threat, he could easily tell that right now. Reita was really gone. All that was left behind was this… person. A Demon he didn’t know. He would become another obstacle in the way of the great escape and out of the many already in his way, this was the least expected. And, in a way, the most painful. Reita was his brother for so long. To cut him off now was… Just the least pleasant thing to happen to him.

“You’re really crazy,” he growled but made no move to verbally disagree. “You really will regret doing this. And these sevenths will be no better.”

Reita brushed roughly him, walking to the door. The ring around him broke up and the sevenths followed behind him like a lost group of dogs after their master. Reita had them on a tight leash apparently. Maybe that was what explained their sudden absence in the Hospital. Aoi should have kept a closer eye on him. He knew that now. But it was too late.

“Maybe, but I plan on riding out this newfound freedom of mine as long as I can. Oh, by the way, I hear you’re still looking for those lost orphan children. I heard that they were still in the area, but hidden well by the humans who locked us away. Who knows, maybe you’ll pick up on a hint or two. For now, I think I have spent enough time here. Why don’t you get going? I am sure you kept Uruha waiting long enough. I’ll see you around, but you won’t.”

They disappeared into the house but didn’t leave, just went into different rooms. Probably to make more plans. He made sure they didn’t go towards the main door before turning his attention to the human, still in a painful deep coma waiting for her last breath.

He let out his pent up rage with a sigh, running his hand through his hair with frustration. It was all over. His group was done for. Reita was his best scout and now he was on the way to becoming a wanted Rogue. Now without a replacement, his group was soon to become obsolete in the eyes of the seconds and firsts. It was ridiculous. Ruki would be pissed if he got through this.

“I’m sorry,” he sighed and went to the bed. “I’m sure you probably helped the children at one point. To only have to die like this is a tragedy. But I’ll help you find the light.”

He slips out his dagger, cleaned from the last seal, and quietly positions it over her heart. There is no time to speak as he slips it slowly and painlessly into her body. Blood seeps through her clothes but all she can muster is a pained moan through her coma-like state before it reached her innermost organ that gave her life. It pierced straight through, stopping it’s beating forever.

As power surged through him and filled him with that long sought after strength that had eluded him for so long, he couldn’t find it in him to be happy or relieved. Just sad, sad for everything. He had been holding in his own emotions so Uruha would not see them but… Was that the smart thing to do? He didn’t know anymore.

But he knew that now, he had a job to do. And that job is to make sure that Reita couldn’t fuck up his plans. And to make sure that Uruha would not be in danger, he left after making sure her body was safe so a demon could find it with no issues.

He didn’t bother to look around himself as he stormed out of the house and out the door, where Uruha stood sitting on the front porch steps, shivering from the cold with only his thin jacket to protect himself. Aoi felt so relieved to know he was okay, and that he was none the wiser of what was happening or just went down. If he knew…

No. he couldn’t think about it right now. All he could think about was strengthening his Mark with his human and making sure that nothing could tear them apart.

“Yuu,” Kouyou called out in surprise and quickly got to his feet. “Is everything-”

“I can’t wait,” he said simply and grabbed Kouyou by the arm to pull him back towards the asylum. “I can’t wait any longer. Time is short, I have to do this. We have to do this, Kouyou.”

Kouyou shivered, feeling more than just cold at that point. Yuu never said his name like that, in such a deep and serious voice that wasn’t teasing the heck out of him whenever he could. Something wasn’t right here.

“Did you… do something?” he asked cautiously, feeling out of breath as he struggled to keep up with his demon.

“I didn’t,” Yuu answered with a tired sigh. “But Reita won’t be coming back anytime soon. Nor will the demons that once hung around in the empty rooms before ours.”

Surprise flitted across the brunette’s face, and he spluttered on his words.

“Oh. Well, that is good, isn’t it? Reita was becoming a pain to deal with, and with him out of the picture it should be okay.”

Yuu chuckled and slowed down to ease their way around the maze, his fingers loosening their once tight grip around his wrist. Kouyou was grateful but no less as confused.

“It’s hard to explain but I don’t have time to do that. Ruki is in trouble.”

Kouyou gasped, feeling another sharp pain go down his back at the sudden news.

“What? How?”

Yuu’s gaze hardened again and once they reached the main courtyard near the main entrance, he stopped and turned around to put his hands on his human’s shoulders.

“Listen to me, Kouyou. This is getting out of hand. Reita, he… He hurt Ruki, in more ways than one. And I… I need to keep you safe. I can’t deal with the danger looming over our heads so constantly like this. It’s maddening, and I… I just...”

He feels words failing him the more hysteric he becomes, and the bewildered expression on Kouyou’s face isn’t helping that fact.

“Yuu,” the brunette says urgently and clasps his hands over Yuu’s. “Calm down, I can’t handle it when you get all hysterical like this. Please, deep breaths. Deeply, in and out like I showed you.”

The Raven tries to follow along with Kouyou’s instructions, closing his eyes and focusing on their shared heartbeats, on their breaths and the warmth of his human touching him softly. It helped a little bit, but there was only one thing that would make him feel better. Something important.

“Babydoll,” he whispers and opens his eyes to stare at Kouyou, entwining their fingers together. “We can’t wait anymore. I hope you understand this, and what it means for us.”

The brunette shivers, and deep in his stomach, he felt something stirring hotly and it made his whole body feel more strange than normal. What was Yuu saying? He couldn’t be saying…. That, could he? Was he even ready?

“What… are you saying?” he mumbled shyly, feeling his cheeks heat up. “You’re not...”

“I am,” his demon cooed softly, his heart going crazy for an entirely different reason. “This place is too dangerous for you to stay as you are. If you want to keep yourself from harm, we have to do this. And… it would make me the happiest demon in the world if you let me do this. If  _we_  did this.”

Kouyou could feel his heart pick up speed as those hands slipped to his hips and oh so slowly slipped beneath his jacket. Yuu’s hands were cold but warmer than the wind whipping around them violently. They trailed along his hips and made his brain feel all fuzzy. Was he ready for this..? Not just physically, but… Emotionally?

He knew what it would mean if they completed their mark. His body mind and soul would entirely and resolutely belong to Yuu. Everything that he had here on Earth would become meaningless to them. To him. His family would be left behind, his entire life would be changed. All of it would not matter anymore.

Would he still be able to protect Brianna after..? Would he… still be himself afterward? He panicked, shaking in Yuu’s hold. Would he be human? Would he still be the same guy?

“I… I don’t know…. What to do… I’m scared. I...”

Yuu continued to sensually but comfortingly stroke his hipbones and push him against one of the front doors as gently as possible. Then he feels a hand cup his face, and tilt it up so their eyes could meet. And there at that moment, he felt his heart nearly give out and hammer out of his chest. Those eyes that, before, held so much cynicism and nihilistic hopelessness, was filled with something completely new.

“I know, babydoll. But I am here for you, I am here to help you through this. The change won’t be immediate, but it will help. But… It’s all up to you.”

Desperation. A fiery passion to help him, to help himself. Yuu was pleading for this not only for the obvious reasons but because he knew this was the only way Kouyou could be safe. He wanted so badly for Kouyou to be safe.

He knew he would regret this in the morning. But what choice did he have? Reita was now a threat. And threats didn’t just go away on their own.

A tear slipped down his cheek and he knew there was no turning back, not now and not anytime soon. He sighed, leaning his head back and squeezing his eyes tighter, holding back the floodgates that would inevitably burst forth at any second. A new pain settles in his heart and he resigned himself to his fate with a soft huff.

“Yuu,” he heaved through tear filled eyes. “Please, Yuu...”

His demon caressed his cheek, wiping away the tear with his thumb as though he were something precious and easily breakable.

“Yes, babydoll? Anything.”

Kouyou swallowed past a lump in his throat and stared back at Yuu, feeling a new kind of pain. A deep longing pain that burned him from the inside out. A pain that made him want.

“Help me. Help me not to be helpless. Help me make this pain go away.”

 

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp tat was that. 
> 
>  
> 
> sooooo...... smut chapter or no smut chapter? Lemme know what u think please! <33 (If there are any errors I will go back to edit!)


	34. Rejection - Eighth Night/Ninth Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I haven't updated this in a long whole (over a month Jesus Christ) and I'm sorry. Writer's block sucks majorly, but I'm here! And back with more plot!

Normal POV

 

It wasn't an appropriate time to do what they wanted right then and there. They made a silent agreement to find a better time to do so. Even so, it was hard for Aoi to pull himself away and leave the warmth that radiated from his human's body.

Making sure Ruki was okay was currently the priority, and they still had spirits and a certain dark-haired angel to visit and talk to about Reita's rebellion against them. Since meeting Shinya, Kai had been rather slippery and hard to find. So they wasted little to no time getting into the main building and finding their way back on their floor.

All th while, Aoi takes the time to recount everything Reita said to him, minus the part that included Brianna for his own sake. He was even more nervous now, and the raven wondered if it was a good idea. But it was too late now, the damage has already been done. 

It was quiet up here, almost too much so. People were hard to find, and the three demon maids that usually milled about were nowhere in sight. Why was it deserted? The silence was almost too much to bear for the pair.

"Where is everyone?" Uruha dared to ask, breaking the stifling silence.

"I have no idea. Come on, let's check on the girl."

He didn't argue and instead lets Aoi drag him along to her room, only to stop at the new Mark on the door. It was Ruki's and was enough of a red flag to go off as it was purely in blood. He must be in here, and Aoi quietly slipped the door open. All of a sudden he was hit with a demonic smell, one that made him gasp and take in a breath. It was the smell of poisoned blood, a smell that repelled his kind like garlic to vampires. He had to take a step back and grimaced.

Maids were in here, all right. And they were all panicking and rushing around the couch that was still by the fireplace. Uruha panicked as he saw that Brianna was nowhere in sight. Where did she go?

"What's going on?" Uruha said and pushed past his frozen Marker. He couldn't smell anything like Aoi could, just the usual stuffy air that came with shut closed windows. "Where is Brianna?"

The maids all turned their attention on him and stepped aside to show the couch's single occupant. It was Ruki, pale, breathing heavy, and unconscious as he tossed and turned on the cushions. His shirt was removed and he had no covers over his body. A long angry and red slash on his body bled steadily through white bandages, painting his body in a gruesome image. The skin that was not covered by bandages was almost purple in color, stained with the poison from his wound.

"Worry not, The Young Lady is taking a bath and will be out soon. She got blood on herself and is to be washed entirely of the poison as soon as possible."

Uruha sighs in relief and turned his attention to Ruki, who only wore a pair of dark pants. Aoi must have gotten a hang of his senses and stumbled uneasily into the room, afraid of what he might see.

"How bad is he?" the raven asked, his voice unusually shaky from worry. One of the maids rifled through a clipboard full of notes, biting her lip as little black horns poked out of her short and sandy brown hair.

"Our head nurse took samples of Ruki's blood, and thankfully we managed to stop the poison from reaching his heart where it would no doubt spread through his system and cripple him terribly. But it will take a few more transfusions to make sure the poison is cleared as he still isn't healing himself naturally."

Aoi grimaced as he stared down at Ruki. Reita had really done it. The lacerations looked horrible, painful. The marks would no doubt scar in a terrible way and mask his once flawless skin in a reminder of what they used to be and could no longer go back to. This alone was enough to cement Reita's betrayal, and it was enough to make him wish he had done more.

"What was used?" he asked, eyeing the purple skin as it tried but failed to stitch itself back together. It was almost gruesome to watch.

"The poison was a mix of valerian root, purified salt, and vampire dust. There was a lot, so Ruki lost a lot of blood purging himself from it."

"Vampire dust?" Uruha asked in confusion, feeling chills crawl down his spine. "Vampires as in... actual vampires?"

Aoi scoffed and went to lean up against the nearest wall to the bed, right under the blocked off window.

"You're surrounded by demons and angels, and yet you're surprised by vampires?" he chuckled humorlessly, the worry making him a little loopy.

"Can you blame me? The shock of being surrounded by them for the last week has kind of worn off."

Aoi grinned, seemingly pleased by that.

"Don't worry doll, vampire dust is just the bit left over after you're staked it to death and set it on fire. There are no vampires here."

Again, Uruha felt relieved beyond compare. So he could take the time to fully address the situation at hand.

"So Ruki will be all right?"

One nurse pats Ruki's cheek and then his forehead softly before scribbling down even more notes.

"Yes, but the skin will most likely get paler and the effort of using his strength will sap out what little powers he has. His hair is getting darker near where he was struck, but there is a weird streak of blonde in it now, a side effect I am sure. He will be fine physically with time, but I can't say the same for his mental well being. That's up to him and his human."

As if on cue, the door quietly opened up to let in Brianna and Umi, who were both visibly exhausted. She wore a light blue nightgown and a towel was draped over her shoulders to catch the Water from her hair. Water dripped from her eyelashes and onto her cheeks, looking like tears in a way.

Her eyes widen at the sight of the newcomers and she gasped. But also, she made no move to rush forward and hug him as she usually would. Instead, she keeps her distance and decides to just sigh in relief. Umi immediately bowed her head once in Aoi's presence.

"Oh, you're back! I was getting worried that you didn't know what happened!"

Aoi grimaced at her words and once again looked at Ruki, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Oh, we know. We know all too well."

Brianna wrapped her arms around herself, confused.

"What do you mean?"

Uruha bites his fingernails, looking between the both of them before deciding to speak up.

"It's still kind of hard to wrap my head around even now but... We know why Aoi had been taking a long time to find his seals. It was-"

Before he finished, he was suddenly interrupted by Brianna softly cutting him off.

"Reita."

Both Uruha and Aoi stared at her in surprise. How had she known?

"How... did you..."

His words stuttered and he couldn't find his words so she continued, eyes downcast and sad.

"Ruki... managed to make it here and tell us what happened. Before he... um... collapsed from the poison..."

She was suddenly quiet, biting on her already worried down fingernails. Umi led her to the bed and lets her sit near Ruki. He's still breathing heavy and in pain, sweating from the effort of healing himself.

"Well then, you should know by now that he is no longer welcome in our circle as of now. This is only the beginning of his list of transgressions it seems," Aoi says, his eyebrows knitted together. Though he doesn't dare mention what Reita wants him to do. No, he wouldn't think of it at a time like this. Uruha and Umi would have his head.

"I see," Brianna softly mutters and sighs, forlorn. "So what will we do now?"

Aoi bit his tongue for a moment, having a hard time finding his words and thoughts.

There was only one thing they could do. And as much as it annoyed him to do it, he had no other choice.

"For now... Our main priority is to focus on Ruki. Keep him alive no matter what until the poison is purged from his system, and I will entrust this matter to you Umi, and also you, Brianna."

Wait. Did he just say her name with no problem just now? Was that normal? Clearly not, considering how wide her eyes went and the silence that settled in the room. He never said anything more than just 'lady' or 'the girl' before. Even Uruha was having a hard time believing his ears.

"Did you just-"

"No time," Aoi cuts him off before he can be questioned. "Has anyone here seen Kai?"

It was time to give that guy a visit, considering that they needed someone to fill in the spot that Reita once held before everything went to hell. An expert tracker was a heavy loss for his team and it would be bad to neglect that.

"I think he is with Shinya as usual," Umi answered quietly. "But you will have to go see for yourself. Right now, it is almost midnight and we have more things to get ready for a new transfusion."

"A transfusion? Whose blood do you plan on using?"

One of the nurses gives a knowing smile.

"We know our way around a bit of necromancy, we can easily use a sample of his healthy blood and multiply it's regenerating effects so he can get it back right away. It'll take a few days to make sure for real that he is clean, but we can handle it."

Was that how it even worked? Just... multiply his blood somehow? Well obviously since Aoi didn't seem in the least bit surprised. Brianna must have already heard all of this too because she too didn't seem phased by it.

"Good. I hope you can stave off the poison for a while. I have a feeling we're gonna see Reita more often now and not in a good way."

With little more than a nod, Aoi looked back at Ruki, worry evident in his features. He really was worried about him. It wasn't like demons were heartless monsters, despite what some people might think of them.

"You'll be okay, I know you will," is all he says before quickly leaving the room and closing the door quickly, not even waiting for Uruha to follow him. Not like he has to, he knows that he will anyway.

The brunette just let his shoulders slump forward, feeling the tiredness of the says events on his body. He really needed a break.  The rest of the nurses along with Umi file out after Aoi, leaving Uruha with Brianna and an unconscious Ruki on the couch. He stands there for a moment, unsure of what to say. What even could he say in this situation? 

"Will you be okay?"

Brianna's soft airy voice interrupts his thoughts and he looked over. She was now being covered by her blankets and comforters, probably getting ready to sleep. It would be good for her, she seemed really tired of worrying. It made a piece of him feel even worse.

"I don't know," he admits with a shrug. "I'll have to handle an even more irritable Aoi now. But I should be fine. What I have to ask though is if you will be okay. I know this all must be hard for you..."

She immediately seems smaller, curling up under her duvet and comforters to seem like she took up less space. It was heartbreaking.

"I don't know either," comes the small meek answer. "I... I don't know what I will do once my suppressants wear out. And I am scared. I know that Ruki got hurt because of me and that I am just in the way."

Uruha frowned and went to protest but she kept going, only in a louder tone this time. 

"You don't have to say anything about that, I know very well what Reita thinks of me. I am just a human, we both are, but unlike Aoi, Ruki had someone before all this mess started and that was Reita. And now that he has been thrown aside for me, it was only a matter of time before something happened. So don't try to lie and make me feel better."

She was flushed with embarrassment at the end, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. Never did she look more vulnerable but also more... resolute. So Uruha had no choice but to stamp down his earlier words of protest for something more supportive. 

"I'm sorry."

It was all he needed to say. Her shoulders went from defensive to defeated and she just scooted further into her covers, laying her head down and turning away from him. His chest ached from the small rejection but had to force those feelings down yet again. He had been doing that an awful lot lately.

"It's okay. I know neither of us can do anything about it. I'm sorry too."

But she was right. Sort of. Reita had said so himself, if what Aoi told him was anything to go by. They were both targets now, in many ways than just one. So his hands were currently tied. but who was to say he could not do anything about it? Aoi was working hard to gain his seals back, and with the help of Shinya and Kai, maybe it could go a bit quicker. 

Uruha bites his lip, seeing Brianna shift uncomfortably under the covers. Was she waiting for him to leave? If so, then he wasn't gonna dwell here any longer and let them both rest. Heaven knows they would need it. 

Chills covered his body as he stepped closer to her side of the bed and made a split decision to lean down and lightly kiss the side of her cheek. She stiffened, but he chose to move past it. 

"Good night. I'll be back in the morning."

And then he was gone, the door slipping closed. 

Brianna stifled a gasp, her chest feeling too tight and cramped all of a sudden. That was nice of him but... why did he do that? Why a kiss on the cheek instead of a pet on her head? Or something less intimate? It almost felt like too much, and she felt like sleep was the last thing on her mind. 

She slowly pulled her body back up, a sudden ache blooming in her stomach. It was restlessness, of that she was all too aware. Something was bothering her and therefore, she wouldn't be able to relax unless she does something about it. 

Her eyes drift over to the sleeping form of her Marker, and she sighs before getting out of bed and slowly padding across the carpet to his side. Her eyes spill over with a few tears, and she finally feels the weight of their Mark bring her to her knees against the carpet. 

It hurt, it hurt so bad. Some part of her wished it was just the Mark making her feel this way, but seeing Ruki hurt and in such a state like this made her realize it was far more than that. And she was a fool for failing to realize it sooner. Sure, it had only been a week. But still. Crazier things have happened. 

Brianna feels more tears come on as she stares at Ruki's face, watching his expression fluctuate between peaceful sleep and pained restless slumber. Without thinking she reached out to touch his face, feeling how hot and feverish he felt under her fingertips. Her lips are trembling as she finally cries for him, leaning her head against his shoulder and soaking his skin with more tears. 

"Please wake up," she sobs, unable to stop the pained sounds from coming out. "I need you here to protect me. I can't do this alone. Please, come back."

She sat there with him for what felt like hours but it was only minutes, forgetting completely about the bottle of suppressants on her bedside table.

It wasn't until Umi can back that she relented and went to bed, but not without pleading for Ruki to be next to her so she would no longer feel lonely. 

The sun had begun it's slow crawl into the sky, signalling the start of yet another gloomy and somber day.

//////////////////////////////////////

"I hadn't expected to see you again so soon."

The deep yet airy voice was all the sound that was in the dark yet stiflingly hot room high up in the asylum. A fire was barely sputtering in the fireplace, casting an orange glow around the four inhabitants. 

"Yes well, it seems an emergency has come up, and we need all the help we can get."

Shinya was sitting side by side with Kai as usual. Ever since they found each other, it had been near impossible to see them separated. Neither of them seemed any different, just... clingier. Kai had a hand on Shinya's leg and Shinya's right arm was thrown over the backrest of a loveseat that somehow got up here without their knowledge.

"I am aware," the seer comments with a troubled expression. "The Gift of Sight is sometimes a curse. And I am guessing that this is something you need the help of Kai for?" 

Said Angel was just as conflicted, seemingly upset at what Shinya had said before Aoi and Uruha had even appeared here. His eyebrows were furrowed and the big black cloak he wore was covered in shed feathers. Probably from stress. Aoi would have to remember to ask him about that later.

"Of course, he is part of my group after all," Aoi says sharply. "What's left of it anyway."

That last part held a tinge of venom that was just harsh enough to make Kai and uruha flinch. But still, Shinya seemed entirely unaffected. 

"Yes, it's a shame, that," he comments offhandedly. "As much as it pains me to let my Angel go, I know that he has a duty to you and your faction. As for Ruki, he has much to overcome in the next few days but I have faith that he will soon come out of his stupor. So how can I help you? Know that my assistance can only be with the help of my vision."

Of course, Aoi knew that much, he wasn't dumb. 

"I need to know what Reita and his cronies are planning. The demons that once resided in the wing next to us are now under his command and their presence is getting more dangerous the longer we wait."

Shinya hummed a delicate noise that alluded nothing to his internal thoughts. Always so cryptic he was. 

"Hmm, I see. I suppose that can be arranged. But I will need a little while to prepare, vison jumping is no easy feat. For now, I suggest you check up on your spirit friends downstairs. It seems as though there is something happening that requires your attention."

Uruha furrowed his eyebrows, confused. He almost asked Shinya how he knew when he finally remembered. Duh, the guy is a seer.

"Jimin and Taehyung? What's wrong with them?"

Shinya curled his fingers into the edges of Kai's cloaks and a knowing look crosses his features.

"It appears the youngest one has woken up."

 

 

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next one will feature side characters. 
> 
> Comments and kudos always appreciated!


	35. Lost - Ninth Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AH, I AM LATE AGAIN! I AM REALLY SORRY BUT LIFE IS REALLY HITTING ME LIKE A TRAIN RIGHT NOW
> 
> Hopefully, my writer's block won't last forever!

**NORMAL POV**

Morning came slowly, and even then it felt like things were coming along too quickly.

Brianna did not sleep well at all. It was only three hours later when she woke up again, her body aching with exhaustion and eyes puffy from a little bit of crying sometime during the night. When did that even happen?

It felt like someone had glued her eyes shut and it was a struggle just to pry them open. The room was only barely lit by the dull sputtering embers of her fireplace that struggled to stay alive. Even then, the room felt like an icebox. 

Beside her, the bed was still occupied by a soundly sleeping Ruki. There was a bowl on the side table with a cloth and cool water, probably meant for him. As well as that, there was an IV drip hooked up to his arm, switching out his blood for the poison and going into a weird looking machine that was beeping along with his heartbeat. It was the only thing giving her any sort of piece of mind. She knew he was going to be okay, of course, the nurses here were brilliant. But... The Mark would not stop itching on her skin for some reason, and she didn't understand why. 

The transfusion only lasted a few moments and she had woken up in the middle of it. They probably didn't want to bother her but it was already too late. There was too much noise to just ignore it, so she stayed awake just a bit longer until they were done before falling back asleep.

Not for long apparently. The sun wasn't even in the sky when she stepped towards the window to look for it. Only a dull barely there hazy gray sky. It would still be a few hours before the sun came out. But of course, the constant cover of thick clouds was going to hinder it just a bit longer.

She sighs, rubbing a shaking hand down her aching face to rub at her eyes. They really felt like someone taped them shut. Sleep seemed to be evading her for some reason. Her body would not let her have it for more than a few hours. There always seemed to be something bugging her internally, and it was annoying.

"I feel like I'm going crazy," she managed to mutter before getting out of the bed and shuffling to her closet, feeling like she was gonna freeze to death. Luckily Ruki got her some sweaters and fluffy sweatpants to keep the cold of late autumn from getting too deep into her skin. The cold air would be good for Ruki's overheated skin, but she was still warmblooded and needed to keep warm, so she feeds the fire a few pieces of firewood before sitting at his bedside to pat him down with water. 

His face is serene now thanks to the coolness of the water, and locks of now all black hair are plastered to his face. There was one small streak of blonde left over on the left side of the face, the last bit of original color left from the infected blood in his system. The transfusions must have saved him just before all of it soaked through. Maybe Ruki will want to go back to blonde when he was okay? It was entirely up to him of course, but... If she was being honest. That bit of blonde on him was very.... cute in a way. Like a small bit. Not like she would ever admit it of course. 

Heat rushed up against her cheeks and she had to cough and rub away the embarrassment before once more patting him down and making sure his bandages were able to breathe before trying to curl up in her blankets next to him. The nurses said to keep him uncovered to keep him cool. And rightly so. Just laying near him felt like she was right next to the fireplace. His body gave off a feverish heat. The water on his brow had already evaporated at that point. It seemed like a losing battle, but she knew she had to do it. 

Another tired and weary sigh, and an itchy sensation at the base of her Mark. It was gonna be a long morning like this. 

Her eyes slipped shut, hopefully for what would be at least a few hours, or until the sun came up. 

Of course, it all seemed to be wishful thinking because the next thing she knew she was waking up yet again after only a brief moment asleep. Maybe an hour? But it definitely wasn't nearly long enough. The sounds of panicked shouting outside of her room was what roused her and she found herself alone in her bed.

Panicking she quickly sat up and looked around. She was alone and the IV drip that was attached to Ruki was still there, leaking a deep red puddle into the already wine-colored carpet. 

"Damn," she hissed and ripped away her covers to quickly stop it from fully collecting and staining the floor. Luckily the nurses showed her what to do just in case something like this did happen and found a metal clamp on the nearby dresser and clamp it over the needle. The spout stops and she sighed in relief. 

A long time ago the sight of blood would have made her woozy, but she has been through worse by now that it no longer bothered her. There was only one thing bothering her now, however, as twisted as it may seem. Where the hell did Ruki go? Did he just get up and rip out his IV without waking her up? The knowledge that he might have done that was... Kind of hurtful to be honest. Was she not trustworthy enough? Or was she just overthinking it?

As if on cue her door is being pushed open none too gently and Umi waltzed right in before shutting it closed.

"My Lady, good you're awake," she fussed and came right to her side.

"Umi? What's going on? What's all that noise?"

The woman sighed, looking unusually stressed, and out of habit packs back her long pink hair and forced a smile. A smile she easily sees through. Were people ever going to see her as an adult? Seriously.

"Umi," she says again, this time firmer. "What's going on? Where is Ruki?"

Normally she would have gone along with whatever her Handmaiden wanted her to do, but knowing that something was happening that possibly involved her marker made her anxious.

As if sensing her heightened determination Umi sighed, her smile slipping away to show a weary and troubled expression.

"The two boys in the next room were marked. Only one has woken up, it was from his demon making him pass out. But they are having some... issues, dealing with their newfound physical bodies..."

Difficulties?

"Physical bodies?" She asks, tilting her head.

"Remember the spirits Aoi-sama and Uruha kept mentioning?" Brianna nods, remembering very well who they were despite not being able to see them. "Well, that's them. They've been spirits for so long that it still feels foreign to them to be physical so they're having panic attacks with little results on being calmed down. The one that hasn't woken up is having nightmares but the other is out of control."

Oh, that's right. So that was why he left. They needed guidance from a veteran under a new set of markers. She remembered Ruki explaining it to her a couple days ago. Newly Marked humans, alive or otherwise, needed an experienced marker to help with the process. Did that mean the demons that marked them were inexperienced?

"Is Ruki okay? What about his injuries? He could pull open his scars or something!"

Her worry was making it hard to breathe, and Umi's dismissive wave made it worse. Was there something she was missing?

"Its alright my Lady," Umi answered. "Ruki managed to clean most of the poison from his body and his fever has gone down. In fact, I think you are better off seeing him now if you would like if only to assuage your fears."

Brianna nods like it was an obvious answer, ready to storm out of her room when she remembered she was not suitable for such a thing. Her nightgown and the sweatpants were not exactly meant for this sort of thing.

"I'll.... find something better to wear. "

Umi smiled fondly, bowing her head.

"Of course, my lady."

//////////

To see Ruki up and about gave her great relief, however that relief was outweighed with worry. He was without his shirt like before, and so his scar was in full view. but what worried her the most was that he was restraining a young boy onto his back with his entire body on the ground and a hand to his chest, a boy who was in the throes of unspeakable anxiety and dismay. Of pain.

Terrible cries are ripped from his throat as pale blonde hair covered red and puffy tear-streaked eyes. His body thrashed weakly against Ruki, but he didn't seem nearly strong enough to throw him off. They were situated right in front of the fireplace and both were covered with a thin layer of sweat from the heat.

Another man, one who gave off an irrefutable sense of power and darkness, stood by and seemed to be restraining himself from stepping in. His mouth was set in a horrible scowl and his jaw ground in what seemed to be a painful manner. It was clear that he was just like any other person she has met before. Another demon.

Even from here, she could see his hands clenching so harshly that his already pale skin tightened over his bones like a sheet of paper to the point of ripping. The dark blue veins underneath rose against the skin like water struggling to break out of a dying and thirsty riverbed. Yet still, he restrained himself.

"Calm down! Calm down now or I will have to hurt you!"

Ruki's rough yet calm manner of speaking did little to calm the hysterical boy, his words falling on deaf ears. He continued to flail and cry pitifully, his agonized sounds breaking her heart. She had to do something. Something to help him, help him see that it was okay.

She didn't think twice. Her legs carried her forward to them and, ignoring the bewildered looks of the guys around her, drops to her knees to comfort the ailing boy. Her hands find both his cheeks which are feverish and wet with tears. 

"Ruki, you're only scaring him," she scolded the demon, who had gone speechless. "Here, let me help."

Ruki looked ready to argue against her, but she quickly pins him under a sharp glare. Surprise marred his usually calm features but he listens anyway.

"Fine," he huffs and gets off the now stunned boy who had wide ice blue eyes trained on her every move. "But if he hurts you, don't say I didn't try to stop you." 

Brianna only smiled at him, putting a hand on his arm as he scoots away. 

"He won't. Now, go away or make yourself useful, I'll handle this." 

As if like magic, her soothing voice stops the boy's struggling almost right away, and they lock eyes. He seemed to be so young, yet he was suffering like this to the point he was in absolute hysteria. So she had to do what she could to help him. 

"Here, isn't this better?" she coos, brushing away his tears and helping him to sit up with her arms supporting him. "Take deep breaths, come on now."

He finally stopped flailing weakly and instead weakly sucked in oxygen, his lips trembling but at least he stopped crying. That was a good start at least right? His blonde hair was still messy and plastered with sweat on his face, but she didn't mind it. All that mattered was his own comfort. She continues to coo and pat at his face until something resembling a squeak comes out of his mouth. 

"Tha... Thank you..." he heaved with a scratchy throat, as though he hadn't spoken in ages. "Who are y-you?" 

She smiled and gently pet his knee to comfort him further. 

"My name is Brianna, I'm a human. And that rude guy-" she motioned at Ruki who was only pouting and crossing his arms on the couch. "He is my Marker. We're marked together. But that's neither here nor there. How are you feeling?"

The boy sniffled and wiped his eyes before looking around. The scary looking guy from before is anxious, probably holding himself back so he doesn't scare him. 

"I'm just scared and I... I'm so tired," he whined, eyes drooping. "I just want to sleep... For a while." 

His body drooped forward like a rag doll's and she barely had time to react before the other demon rushed in to catch him. 

"Woah hey, now, Jiminie, don't push yourself," he cooed softly, his voice deep and soothing even to her own ears. Contrary to her earlier impression of him being bad and scary, clearly he had a soft spot for this boy. Were they Marked? 

The demon lifts him up easily, cradling him like one would a small child. His behavior is like a complete one-eighty from the earlier stoic attitude from before.

"It's time to rest, you need it," Brianna murmured to him and stood up to dust off her clothes. "I hope you feel better soon."

Jimin looked up at her with tired eyes, looking so small in the Demon's arms. Were it not for the now obvious and matching Marks on the backs of both their left hands she would not let him be taken away. But they needed to be together. Clearly, Jimin trusted his Demon enough to rest his head on his chest.

"I will... I'm sorry for causing trouble, Suga," he whined, his big eyes watery and droopy from exhaustion. The demon shook his head and started to carry him off, cooing softly to him.

"Its okay Jiminie," he murmurs before continuing in a different language so she didn't understand them. But it was okay, it felt like too intimate a moment for her to butt into. They walked off and into the bedroom that they seemed to be sharing before the door closed. Umi sighs and excused herself to get something for breakfast. She was alone with Ruki for the first time since he was unconscious.

But she felt better, knowing she helped him come down from a state of panic that would have gotten a whole lot worse. Speaking of which...

"What happened?"

Ruki snaps up his head at her voice and he visibly deflates.

"He was still a spirit when he was Marked, so he got his body back more violently than normal," he explained and grimaced, probably still in pain. "Needless to say, once he woke up from passing out he was hysterical. He started to scratch at himself and started to scream bloody murder and ran out of his room and that's when I had to restrain him. He's a lot stronger than he seems."

Strong? A human? How is a human stronger than a demon?

Her skepticism must have shown because he made an even more disgruntled noise in his throat.

"I know what you're thinking and it isn't the right thing at all," he huffs. "Once he came back to life thanks to a demon he is now a partial demon and only somewhat human. Their shared Mark is making him stronger if only for a little while. In about a week it should taper off." 

Brianna hummed before sitting on one of the couches in her favorite spot nearest the fireplace. Ruki followed and kept his distance on the other side of the couch. She frowned. Was he still feeling nervous? At the moment she could not tell, the last of her suppressants was still slowly going along in her bloodstream. But the look on his face was more than enough for her to know. 

"What of the other boy?" she asks, ignoring the cold shoulder she was being given. Ruki grunted, leaning his body back and staring up at the ceiling. 

"Still sleeping. His own Demon Marked him and even went into his dreams, but he still hasn't woken up. It's best to give him time for a while."

She frowned and didn't bother to hide her displeasure. He was acting strangely. Why was that? Normally, he would be eager to speak to her but as of right now, he was acting as though he would rather be anywhere else than here. And it kind of... Stung. 

"You could have reopened one of your injuries," she finally says to him. "I was worried when all I woke up to find was a bloody pool on my carpet."

If she hadn't been paying attention, she would have easily missed the small flinch he did. But of course, nothing slipped past her. But he quickly masked it with his own annoyed sigh. Not at her though, more at everything else. 

"Sorry. I have a lot of things to deal with," he muttered bitterly. "Reita is still a threat, Aoi and his Hu- I mean, Uruha, have disappeared for the last few hours. What else am I gonna do? Sleep the days away with no care?" 

She knew that she should have been worried for Uruha but... For some reason, she felt like this was more important. No, not just for some reason. It was obvious why and she glanced at her Mark only briefly. Damn her human heart for easily falling to something so trivial... But it wasn't her fault. She was only worried about him, could she at least feel that much? 

"You know that's not what I mean." 

Her voice came out smaller than she wanted, timid and hurt. A heavy silence falls over them and she sighed, feeling even more isolated. He must have felt that, and regret flooded his next words. 

"Brianna... I'm sorry," he finally apologizes. "I'm just... I fell so, so helpless." her eyes lift from her lap to stare at him, confused. But he doesn't notice it at first, or if he had then he doesn't make it obvious. "I am just so stressed out. After Reita attacked me, I feel like all I have been doing is sleeping and wasting time. Instead of helping Aoi and Uruha find his seals or the missing children, I am here and wasting away. This has never happened to me before. I hope you can understand that much. This is hard for me too."

"It's okay... I know, and I understand," she says quietly. "But it has only been a few hours, no more than a day. And look, you're already pretty much healed up, aside from the pain. This is nothing compared to what might have happened had it been Uruha or even me. Complaining will only make it more difficult, and you don't have to act so toughly. The least you can do is wait until all the poison is out of your body before going back to being reckless. Please?" 

By now her whole body turned to him in a show of how desperate she was for him to be careful. That was all she wanted. If he would not stay with her, then at the very least he can do this much for her. 

His eyes scrunch up in pain and he shuffles closer, clearly struggling to move even this much. Who knows how much he was hurting when holding down that boy? 

"All right," he relents, weakly smiling at her and she feels her tension seem to slip away. "I'll try not to be so reckless, and I won't snap at you anymore." 

Maybe Ruki didn't know it right now, but that was all she really wanted to hear. 

"Good. Now, here, let me see your arm. Clearly, you're feeling better if you were able to rip off your IV so carelessly."

Sheepishly Ruki chuckled but allowed Brianna to grab his arm. 

"Okay okay. I'm sorry again."

The entry wound for the IV was already closed but in the form of a small scar just at the inside of his elbow. It was an almost reflexive action but she found her fingers mindlessly wandering over the scar, her eyebrows furrowing. His skin was cold but that was no surprise. However, he was also somewhat sticky from sweat and she turns up her nose at him but smiled. 

"You need a shower. Then the nurses can put you back on your drip. Okay?" 

He grimaced in distaste but didn't disagree. 

 

**TBC**


	36. Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM REALLY SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG TO UPDATE THIS! I have been really busy with work lately! I haven't had much time to write! 
> 
> But I'll start using larger time gaps from now on, just to make the passing of time more believable :) thank you for reading this far!
> 
> Here we have some much-needed aoiha moments ;)

****Two days would pass with little progress being made. Ruki's wounds got much better and he was able to move around with no pain left in his body and could be taken off his IV drip. Taehyung woke up just a few hours before six in the morning and seemed to have a much smoother time adjusting to having a physical body than Jimin did, but that was to be expected. So when he woke up the day after, he was a little disoriented but otherwise expressed no panic. Everything seemed quiet, and no one seemed to be in distress.

Brianna once again met with the two boys and gave them what comfort she could, speaking softly to them under the careful watch of their demons by their side. It seemed like they had no problem with her being around and welcomed her presence. Which Kouyou was more than happy for considering the more than bumpy relationship she still had with Aoi. But the elder demon didn't really seem to care so that was another thing he was grateful for. 

Reita had not been seen, and things were quiet. So it seemed that another day would go by just the same.

However, Kouyou was woken pretty early that next morning at around eight in the morning when a familiar and cold hand shook his shoulder and there was a puff of cool breath in his ear. He groans and rolls over to avoid the hand, hoping to go back to sleep. But when that hand traveled to his lower back and started to gently trail along his spine with ice-cold fingers he grumbled even louder and furrowed into the covers. 

"Go away," he whined. 

"Babydoll, you have to get up," Aoi murmurs in his ear, his voice low but alert. "There is something you have to see." 

What was so important that it justified being woken up so early? He lets Aoi know he is not happy and tried to hide his face under the covers. 

"It can wait." 

Aoi laughs then and he shudders from feeling an arm go around his waist and pull him against a strong chest and legs tangle with his under the covers. 

"As much as I want to agree with you and ignore the world around us if only for a day, there is something that you really need to see. It is very important. Five minutes, please?" 

Ugh, there was that whining tone that he hated sometimes. It was like a weapon and it was unfair when Aoi used it against him. It was kind of difficult to admit to himself, but somehow he had become weak to that tone and could not find it in his heart to ignore it. But that did not mean he had to be happy about it. 

"Fine, but I am going to complain the whole damned time." 

Aoi chuckled and pulled back to let him get up, still smiling like an ass who was proud of himself for no reason. 

"I don't think you will be singing that tune for long, my dear. It is very good news, I assure you."

Now that was what piqued his interest and he rubs his eyes before squinting at his Marker. What in the world did that mean? 

"Did you go off and find another seal without me?" Aoi shakes his head. "Then what is it?" 

"I think it would be best for you to come with me either way, I can't quite explain it myself. But it would be good if you looked as professional as you can." 

Thankfully Aoi gives him time to get ready and go to the bathroom to brush his teeth and whatnot before leading him to the main room. He was more than surprised to see both Brianna and Ruki awake and already dressed nicely as though they were going somewhere. Two people who he had yet to become familiar with were also there. He was tall and had bright pink hair that was cut to his neck. The other was a little shorter and had long purple hair with a teddy bear clutched in his left hand. Both were wearing doctor outfits and seemed somewhat out of place.

Tsuzuku was also there, for some reason. His hair was also cut shorter and had been dyed a light Sandy blonde. And he also... seemed to be attracted to the atmosphere around the other two. As though he could not keep away. All three of them turned to them as they approached and Tsuzuku's face lights up. 

"Ah! Aoi-san! Uruha-san. I am so glad you're here!" he yelled out and waved them over. Uruha grumbled but followed his Marker anyway. 

"You too," he answered for his demon. "It has been a while since you decided to hang out with Kai and Shinya more. Speaking of which where are they?"

Tsuzuku smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. 

"It just so happens that Kai found more human souls to help with his transition to being a demon. Quite amazing actually, since he needed more than fifty last time." 

Confusion makes Uruha furrow his eyebrows and he stared between Aoi and Tsuzuku. 

"What? How did he find so many? I thought most the humans that were here disappeared or made it to safety."

Aoi crossed his arms, also confused. This must be his first time hearing it as well. 

"That is what I would like to know too. I knew there were a few more humans around considering there are more children around that need to be found. But more than fifty?"

His words suddenly make Uruha even more confused. 

" _More_ children? What are you talking about, Aoi? We haven't even found any yet."

At least he hasn't been informed of any being found or located. 

At his words, it was Tsuzuku who was raising his eyebrows.

"Oh, you didn't hear?" he asks, pinning a stare on Aoi accusingly. "You haven't even told him yet?" 

Uruha feels an arm go around him and is pulled flush up against Aoi's side. Normally he would protest, but he has since learned to ignore it with only a roll of his eyes. 

"I was about to before you cut in," Aoi bites back in a possessive manner. "Now would you mind backing off?"

Tsuzuku only shrugs and seemed generally disinterested in starting a conflict. Which was probably a good thing considering he was still below Aoi. Still, he was kind of hot-blooded, and that would only serve to get him into more trouble. 

"Whatever. Anyway, I want you guys to meet my new friends, Koichi, and Meto. They were assigned to this sudden task and need your help with it. Which is why Aoi went after you in the first place."

Apparently, when more demons were around one another it seemed to charge the air around them in an alarming manner because everything seemed to feel like static electricity was clinging to his skin and clothes. Uruha grimaced and tries to rub it away, feeling the most of it through his Mark. That was sure to be annoying later. 

Brianna and Ruki soon joined their little group by the front door and seemed just as confused as everyone else. 

"Okay, and what exactly is going on?" she asks, wringing her hands together. 

"I think it best if we all just go and see," Aoi says back but then suddenly his tone lowered, almost too quiet for everyone to hear. But thanks to the silence in the room from the aforementioned tension it was heard all too well. "But you guys should go first. I need to...  Speak to Uruha. For a little bit."

Strangely the grip around his waist turns tighter, and the fingers already digging lightly into his hips clamp down even more so, feeling like they were bruising the skin. He flinches, mentally preparing himself for whatever was going to happen. A pained expression flickered across his face only briefly, but Brianna seemed to catch it because she frowns at that. 

"Um, are you sure? Isn't it safer to go together?" 

It was obvious what she means. Uruha was not blind to it. And the prickling feeling on his neck only makes him more uncomfortable.

He knew how she felt. It had been increasingly obvious the past few days. Her eyes would linger just a bit too long or she would find whatever excuse she could to linger in his room or him in hers. Which was strange. Wouldn't her own mark force her to stamp down such feelings? Uruha knew he had to stamp down his own feelings for her a long time ago. Back when they first met...

"No its okay.  _I'll_  protect him."

He says that last part directly to her, his eyes steely and sharp. She flinches, and Ruki seems to notice this but keeps his expression calm. But even Uruha could feel the irritation rolling off his body in waves. He's pissed at Aoi for glaring at her but at the same time, he is mad at her for suggesting that they wait.

"He is right. Let's just go. This is way more important."

"But-"

Uruha stares at her, feeling sympathetic for her all over again. But it's best to nip it in the bud early before it got any more out of control.

"Brianna it is okay. I'm fine, go on ahead."

She wants to argue more, that much is obvious. But one tug on her hand from Ruki makes all other protests die in her throat. Soon the entire entourage is leaving them behind in the hallway in front of the door. Her eyes look behind one last time, desperate and pleading but helpless. He sighs and watched them barely disappear around the corner before Aoi is once more gripping tight on his hips, his mouth hot and saccharine words are hissing into his ear.

"We need to talk," he growls deeply. "Either now or later when we are alone. You choose but it has to be soon."

He frowns and takes a step back but not too much. Aoi is a clingy one after all. 

"Talk about what exactly? And is it so important that we are putting off this clearly important mission?"

Aoi stared at him only briefly before grabbing his hand and pulling him even closer than before, their bodies leaving little to no space between them. It was cold in a way he could not explain but the heat in his cheeks was too overpowering to care. He still wasn't used to the ice cold feeling of Aoi's skin on his. Even less so the way that he could not push it away. No matter how much he tried.

They kept a fairly slow pace of just walking but instead of going directly to the stairs to downstairs, he stops in the little area once used by a certain group of rogue demons but was now abandoned. Which was a shame, the decorations were really nice even if the rooms were unused in a few days.

But that was beside the point!

"What exactly do you need to talk about? Aoi?"

He had a feeling he knew what it was. But... There was a reason why he was ignoring all of Aoi's advances as of late. His mark had been painfully obvious on his neck, but there was a point. A point that even he could not ignore.

"Come along, one of these rooms should provide the privacy we need. They're empty now, I doubt anyone will mind."

Even as he begrudgingly allows the demon to lead him inside, with his grip finally letting up but not letting go, he can't lead himself to push him away.

The burning, longing feelings of isolation. A lingering desire to always be near, yet keep his personal demon at a certain length from him. Away. Close by. It was always the same. A maddening cycle that would send even the sanest person to the loony bin. Not that he could say he was any different.

Aoi pushes him down onto a long cooled down bed before sitting next to him, not even wasting a single second.

"Oh, I think you know very well, my sweet dearest baby doll." Oh god, he is breaking out the pet names. Here we go. "Our relationship has been... Under strain, as one might imagine. We've been so busy hunting down my gods be damned seals and that traitorous Reita that you and I need some downtime. Wouldn't you agree?"

Uruha frowned and looked up at his Marker, his eyebrows furrowing. He can't possibly mean that, can he?

"Yuu please, you are seriously gonna have to learn how to time your talks with me better. This could not wait until after whatever is going on right now?"

His demon laughs as though he told a joke that was only slightly funny before pinching his cheek and throwing an arm around his waist. Not the reaction he wanted exactly...

"Of course not. The distance between us is literally driving me insane. Even just like this, for a little while, is enough. For now, we can talk and wait for the others to come back."

Contrary to just saying they would talk, Aoi immediately begins to nuzzle the top of his hair, an affectionate display that made his heart curl in itself. Which hurt.

"I don't know what you want to talk about."

That was a little lie, of course he knew. Didn't mean he was any less terrified.

A small laugh slips from Aoi's mouth and he caressed Uruha's sore hip to soothe the now obvious bruises he would have.

"It's okay. I'm here. I'm here to help you through this. We have all the time in the world to talk about it."

At that, he can't help but scoff softly.

"Do we really? I'm pretty sure Reita is not going to give us all the time we need to sort this out. He will act soon, I can feel it. And it will only serve to strain us more. I don't know what he told you in that house but I know he is up to something."

He tries to ignore the way Aoi momentarily stiffens but the moment is gone as soon as it comes. Soon he can feel a sigh ruffling his hair, the warm air making his neck feel like it was on fire.

"I don't want to talk about him right now. I brought us aside so we can talk about us. I need to know your limits. Your fears, your wants, and needs. If I want to make you happy to be with me, then I need to know these things."

Happy... he could think of a few things that would make him happy. And it killed him to say it out loud but how would Aoi know what was good or bad? And he was sure that Aoi would not leave it alone so it was best to get it over with anyway.

A deep breath makes its way into his lungs and before he knows it he is stuttering out what he has been holding in all this time. Since they met. Since he was marked. All of it.

Perhaps Yuu was more right than he would like to admit.

With all the bravery he can muster in this situation, he takes Yuu’s hand in his own.

“Okay look. I'm gonna make this simple. As simple as I can. First off I want you to know that whatever happens from here on out, you can't be jealous of anyone. Not Brianna, not Ruki, not anyone. I'm marked to you and you alone, so jealousy is neither warranted nor appreciated. Do you get it?”

To his relief, Yuu simply nods and does not bother to argue. The only thing he can feel through their mark is a soft and content silence. It calms his nerves and makes them feel less like they are about to snap from nerves.   
  


“Good. Now, without going too into depth, I also would like to point out that this relationship, however much it may kill me to admit, is still a work in progress. I need to get used to this. We are barely two weeks into being Marked. I barely know anything about you. What your human life was like, what you really are underneath all the biting comments and burning jealousy. And I also need to know what will happen to me once we get out of here. I would like to go back home sooner or later, I can’t just leave everything behind, as tempting as it seems. That is just not how this world works. Not anymore.”

Yuu doesn’t say much and he takes that as his cue to keep going, now unable to stop his mouth from spilling out his real feelings.

“The only reason why I push you away at every given moment is that… I… I’m scared. Not just of you, but of what being with you would mean for me in general. I have to change everything and that scares me so much. I think anyone would. I think this place is gonna be like a normal workplace but suddenly my whole life is different. My whole life is utterly changed. You can’t expect me to accept things so easily like a damsel in distress with nowhere else to go. I need time. Time that, at the moment we don’t have. You understand that right? If you need to be clingy, then wait until I need it, when the Mark can only take so much from me being alone and needs you nearby. Until then… Until then, just try to keep yourself calm.

“I need you to do that for me, for this to work. If all this is gonna be is jealousy and threats towards my friends and your own brothers, then you might as well kill me now and not put me through that. I am still coming to terms with all this. I hope you can understand now why I do what I do and continue to desperately help those who need it. It’s because I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing it before this all ends. Before my time here on Earth is up and I have nothing else left but you and our Mark and an unsure future. You can do that for me, right Yuu?”

Finally, he stops talking, his small but important rant finally off his chest. His voice is quiet and cracking, showing just how his own emotions have been bubbling over like a boiling pot. He never realized how much he had on his mind until now. How was he able to survive up to this point? Surely this wasn’t healthy… Especially with all the stuff surrounding them at this point, there was no way he would not feel stressed.

Yuu must have just started feeling the anxiety because the next thing he knew he was being pulled into a hug, arms wrapped tight around him and face pressed into his neck. What was this… thorn-like feeling in his stomach? Was he supposed to feel this way? And why was the feeling making him feel more… secure? He must be more fucked up than he thought.

“I’m sorry, babydoll. But it was just in my nature to be protective, especially in the beginning. I didn’t want anyone else to so much as look at you, and the whole needing human contact thing really irritated me… But I can be better. I can push out all the negativity and make you happy, keep you safe. I have had few marks in the past, but they all pale in comparison to you. But I promise I will make this work. I will try my best to make this all up to you somehow. Starting now I promise that I will stop being jealous, and make time for us both. And when this is all over and we can go home, I will go with you wherever you wish to go.”

Those words alone made a huge weight of repressed feelings lift from his chest and the relief is almost painful. Gone were the fears that he would be kept somewhere against his will forever, and gone were the worries that Aoi would continue to be as insufferable as he usually was towards the only other human here. He just hoped it would stay that way.

“I hope so, otherwise… You can bet that I will continue to be as stubborn as I usually am about this. Nothing can stop me from riding out my stubbornness as long as I can.”

He huffed and figured that was the end of that but he felt another stab of an unknown feeling in his stomach and subconsciously angled his head to face his marker but freezes as he was just right there, his face only inches away. Dark hooded eyes and a strangely sweet smile are all he can see for a brief moment before he finds his breath escaping his lungs as Yuu pressed a full kiss on his lips.

How long had it been since they last kissed? A few days maybe? They were both so worked up from all the crazy shit happening that they never really took the time to really have a moment together. And from the way his Mark was literally vibrating on his neck it was far too long. A helpless gasp is all he can manage as it continues to pulse, a sensation far beyond his own grasp making his legs feel like jelly and chase after that feeling with his own shy kiss in return. Yuu grows bold and cups his cheek, a breathy sigh and smile his short reward before once more kissing him much deeper now.

Kouyou hates that he knows he can’t push him away. His body has been so wound up from not being given attention that just a kiss and a touch makes him feel like he is on a cloud of pure euphoria. His eyes fluttered shut as he allows his Demon to lick his bottom lip and explore his mouth, his arms and legs shaking from just how much it makes him feel. His balance all but fails him as he falls back and makes Yuu fall with him, trapping himself under his arms.

Thankfully Yuu gives him space and instead opts for running his fingers along his jawline, smiling softly to himself. He gives him one last kiss before pressing them to his mark only briefly before pulling back. All this affection was making his head swim.

“So pretty, babydoll. I can never help myself from just wanting to stare at you forever.”

Kouyou can feel his mark stop vibrating from the loss of contact and almost whines at the loss of the sensation. But it was better to take this slow and not embarrass himself.

“Y-Yuu I… I really am… scared,” he admits, feeling no hesitation to finally admit it to himself. “I don’t know what to do.”

It was more than true. It may not have seemed like it these past few days but he was only human. There was a limit to his attitude in a situation like this.

“It’s okay,” Yuu murmurs to him and lays down as well before pulling him against his chest to rest an arm under his body and the other hand moves to card through his hair. “I am here. I can help you figure it all out. All you have to do is trust me. Can you do that?”

It was a soothing touch, a much-needed one that brought him a weird feeling of nostalgic comfort. Like something from his past. And that too was scary. Scary in the sense that he once again craved to feel more. In a moment of lowered self defense, he sighed and nodded, burying his nose into the soft fabric of Aoi’s coat.

“We’ll see.”

It felt like an eternity of them just lying there, wrapped up together and limbs tangled up but the sound of voices coming from the stairway, both low and high pitched, was enough to get them both to finally leave the room to go looking for their group. He once more puts on his usual indifferent mask but risks a glance at Yuu once more. He is smiling and seems to be at ease. His feelings are subtle but enough to make him feel the same. They needed that, he knew very well what bottled up feelings could do. But it was far from over. No, this was just the beginning.

For now, he would keep himself from breaking and stay afloat for as long as he could. Their fingers squeeze together one last time before falling apart, leaving his body once again feeling cold and empty.

_‘Trust me.’_

Why did he have such a bad feeling that something was gonna go wrong?

 

**TBC**


	37. NOT AN UPDATE - hiatus announcement

As you can tell this is not an update. I am simply putting this story on a temporary hiatus as I haven’t updated in a while. It won’t be forever and I promise to finish it soon. I just need my motivation to come back to me is all :) 

for now I will finish my other projects before coming back to this one. I just need to find inspiration again! 

 

Sorry again for for not updating and I hope you all understand! 

 

I will get back on this one soon! 


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